The Hunted
by CuddleFae
Summary: Dr. Lauren Lewis has led her Fae crime-fighting team against various renegade Fae, the Garuda, the Ancients and Hades. With the help of her friends Dyson, Tamsin, Hale & Trick, the sides have finally been united. The new Ash and Morrigan have urged her to take a vacation to check up on the family she hasn't seen for a decade, but what she finds is beyond expectation.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: Lost and Found**

The snow was getting deep. She knew she should have stuck to the path, but her curiosity had gotten the best of her... again.

"Breathe, Lauren. Just stop and take a breath. Don't panic. You grew up on this mountain. So what if you haven't been here for more than a decade and sure, everything has grown and changed, but surely you can find your way back home. If only I could find the trail again..."

She squinted her eyes, looking left through the trees, then right. She turned around cautiously looking down at her footprints to be sure she had turned exactly 180 degrees. When she saw nothing familiar, she turned back, making sure she had not gone past another 180 degrees.

"Lewis, for a genius, you sure aren't thinking straight. Standing here worrying about not turning myself around when you've been turned around for the past hour! Nothing looks familiar! You're going to freeze to death out here when the sun goes down and you have no one to blame but yourself! No one knows where you are! You're finally granted a vacation and you make no plan! You're a planner who somehow made the absolutely horrible decision to 'go where the wind blew you'! Who even does that! You are certainly living up to the stereotype of your peers with similar IQ's today! Sharper than a tack and zero common sense! Sweet Einstein, you're an idiot!"

A few more panicked glances left the blonde frustrated and scared. As tears threatened to fall, she clenched her fists and took a deep breath, hardening her resolve,

"You are not going to die out here, Lauren Lewis. You survived seven years of indentured servitude to a bastard from hell... yes, you've survived largely in part do to your two dear Fae friends and their wickedly witchy friend..."

She looked up, noticing what appeared to be a large mass of branches up high in the trees about fifty yards away. She squinted for a long moment, tilting her head in an attempt to figure out why branches could grow that way when it hit her,

"YES! The old tree house! Probably the old rotted tree house, but just maybe..."

She ran towards the elevated mound of white, her lungs burning from the cold, until she was finally at the base. Walking in a circle around the large trunk, she laughed when she saw the old rope ladder still hanging there.

"I don't know if you'll hold but..."

She brushed the snow off of a few wooden rungs, her eyes going wide at the sight before her,

"Brand new. Well, that's odd."

She looked around for a home nearby, but saw nothing. Shrugging, she gave the ladder a shake and ventured upward, hoping that if someone had repaired the ladder, they'd repaired the tree house as well. The climb was shorter than she remembered, but that would probably be because her legs were much shorter the last time she'd escaped to her beloved tree house.

Arriving at the top, she brushed away the snow from the door, noticing that her wish had come true. The house was kept in good repair. Climbing inside, she smiled at the familiar interior. It was almost as if she'd never left. Had she fallen into some sort of time warp?

She was unable to fully stand, but she pulled back the old rug and found that the submerged steel tire rim was still beneath, suspended from the floor. It had been a brilliant design by her neighbor and best friend Kyle. Everyone had always thought he would grow up to be a brilliant engineer but then the accident happened. She'd lost two friends that day just a few months before graduating high school. The entire town was so depressed over the deaths of the two teens with such bright futures that Lauren couldn't wait to get away to Yale University for college and medical school.

She opened the cubby where the three friends used to keep their firewood and smiled. There wasn't much, but if she waited until she couldn't stand the cold anymore, she might just have enough to last the night. She grabbed the blankets and pillows, lodging them into the window and doorframes to stop the breeze from coming in before settling into a beanbag chair next to the makeshift cabinet that Kyle had made.

She dug into her backpack and pulled out her large Nalgene bottle that was still full of water, then pulled out her thermos, hoping her tea was still warm. Taking a sip, she cringed, but decided she would heat it up when she started the fire later. Opening the center compartment of her bag, she pulled out the remaining food she'd brought. She was now grateful she had been so drawn to the scenery that he hadn't thought to eat lunch.

"Chicken Caesar salad, carrot sticks, celery sticks, an apple and a banana... nice."

She opened the cabinet and smiled, her fingers running along the bindings of the age-worn books that she had left here long ago,

"Who in the world would keep this thing standing and not replace it with their own things?" Lauren wondered.

She ran her fingers over the items that had belonged to the two friends who had built this home away from home with her, a single tear forming in the corner of her eye before silently trailing slowly down her cheek.

"I miss you guys. I wonder if we would still be friends today if you hadn't..."

Lowering her eyes, she sighed, placing her food on the shelf, her fingers catching the edge of a piece of paper,

"Ow! Paper cut! Dammit!" She placed her finger in her mouth before grabbing the old first aid tin, "What are the chances..."

She smiled, "Of course the first aid kit is stocked. I guess whoever has been here must be regulars just like we were."

Once she had used some antiseptic and covered her wound to stop the bleeding, she pulled the stiff paper from the sidewall of the shelf.

"Oh my..."

Her hand went to her mouth as she took in the faces of the group of friends that Kyle's mom had always called 'The Terrible Trio'. Her eyes filled with tears before her heart warmed at the memories, replacing her frown with a smile.

She traced the face of the young boy, and then gazed into the eyes of the young girl before tracing her lips, remembering the kiss they'd shared the night before they had gone off with their respective dates, Kyle and Andrew, to the prom. It was a kiss that held so much promise...

Sighing, she opened the outside pocket of her backpack to find the snacks she had packed,

"Granola bar, energy bar, peanut butter crackers and, of course, skittles." She looked at the picture of the girl she'd had a crush on her entire childhood, and repeated the words she'd said to her before they'd kissed, "You've gotta taste the rainbow, right?"

She laughed, smiling before placing the picture in her backpack and zipped the pocket shut. Opening the peanut butter crackers, she pulled her favorite childhood book from the shelf and settled back to read,

"The Outsiders, by S.E. Hinton." Lauren chuckled remembering how much this book had reflected her own life as a teenager.

She was the wealthy, socialite who fell in with two kids from school... two kids her own parents hated seeing her with because they were not of equal or greater 'social status'. Lauren huffed at the memory of her Fathers' words. Of course, her girlfriends' Mom didn't like her daughter hanging out with any kids from town. As much as Lauren and Kyle would have liked their friend around more, her parents expected her here on this land... this large expanse of land that was a mystery to everyone in town. Once she and Kyle had gotten to know her, they realized the isolation made here one of the loneliest kids they'd ever met. When they asked her why she didn't hang out with the other kids in town, the answer had shocked them. Lauren allowed her friends' words to replay in her mind...

 _"My parents beliefs about... human life... are very... rigid. I guess you could call them... religious. I don't agree, but my parents don't want me influenced by the evils of the people in town, so... well... I don't have friends... just family."_

Lauren recalled Kyle's insistence that every kid needs friends and that they were going to make sure she had at least two. From that day forward, they'd always made an effort to do things on her terms so she wouldn't get in trouble for having friends.

Lauren scanned the vast forest that stretched out before her. This land had been in her friends' family for hundreds of years and somewhere, situated on this massive parcel, was her home... the home she and Kyle had never been permitted to see let alone enter. It was only at Kyle's house that all three of them could be together, but since their friends' parents watched her movements closely, they instead chose to spend a lot of time here in the forest. Technically, the third musketeer was home even though she wasn't in the house.

Eventually, she told her parents she'd built a tree house in the woods so she could have some space to be alone and think. Her strict parents had bought the story, so on the occasional night and many weekends the trio would scale the ladder of the Lauren Lewis-designed tree house to spend time away from the prejudice and hatred of girls' families. Only Kyle's Mom knew where the three were and that was in case of an emergency.

Of course, when her two best friends had begun to date, Lauren didn't venture up to the tree house without an invitation. She'd walked in on an exploratory session only once, but it had been once too often. It made her feel... sick. So sick, she hadn't gone to school for a week. She didn't understand the feeling until later... not much later, but... later.

Still, after that, they'd never allowed her to feel like a fifth wheel too often. They were careful to make sure she felt welcome. Of course, when later came... Kyle never knew about his girlfriend's attraction to Lauren... actually... Lauren hadn't known either until the night of prom... the night she'd lost her two best friends.

"Maybe coming here wasn't such a good idea. I mean... you found the tree house, Lewis. Certainly you could find the town from here... but are you really ready to see your parents? You'd just wandered up here to see if they still lived here so you would have the option to see them if you ever wanted to... well, were allowed to... but..."

Lauren allowed her eyes to move around the tree house. She had known every scratch in every piece of wood, but now many of the interior boards were replaced. She looked up, smiling at their initials still lingering on the original support beams,

"L.E.L., K.A.R., Y.A.M.", she smiled, "Thanks for the fond memories, guys. You have no idea how much they've helped me to get up every morning. You brought out the best in me and I still try to hold onto that part of myself today... but it's hard... you see, there's this race of people called... well... you're not really here, are you."

She smiled a sad smile, her eyes rolling before she noticed a new set of initials on the beam. She sat up and chuckled with a quick shrug of her shoulders,

"L.E.D., B.A.D... Well, at least - whoever your are - you're keeping up the tradition." Lauren smiled, returning to her book.

Opening the cover, she began to read...

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

It was the continuous shivering that awoke Lauren some time after dark. Her muscles ached and her jaw was impossibly tense. Reluctantly pulling her phone from her jacket, she sighed realizing her battery was nearing depletion. She had a fully powered charger with her, but was afraid to use it until the sun returned in the morning. The cold weather was not going to help her phone hold its charge much longer. Her best bet was to keep the charger warm and hope she could make an emergency call tomorrow if she couldn't find her way out. The thought of having to call her parents... it was a fleeting thought and not one she wanted to dwell on. She hoped to slide back to the comfort of the heated seats of her Benz and whisk herself from town just as quietly as she had come in. She still wasn't completely sure why she had come here... not really.

She reached across the small space to grab the stovepipe from the wall that Kyle had fashioned to serve as a chimney. Placing it securely over the metal rim she opened up the small hatch to throw in the small pieces of kindling and larger pieces of wood and tree branches that had been kept by the makeshift stove. Extending her hand to the ceiling, she grabbed the pull string and moved the sliding piece of wood in the roof to allow the smoke to vent out so she wouldn't die of carbon monoxide poisoning. She could only hope that the snow didn't melt and fall in, putting the fire out. Hopefully, the wire mesh she had created after their first disaster in high school was still up on the roof to prevent that tragedy again.

She opened the metal tin and smiled when she found a lighter, "Modern times means modern tools. I guess an upgrade from matches was due."

She lit the flame, applying it to the tinder, blowing on the base to get the fire going. Once she was sure it was steady, she settled back and grabbed her cold pack to eat her salad and veggies. Staring into the flame as she ate, she felt the room warm quickly thanks to the hot pipe and the warmth from the small hearth.

When she was finished, she stoked the fire, adding some wood and settled in for another nap... fingers crossed, one that would stretch until morning. Hopefully with a little daylight, she could get her bearings and find her way back to her car without having to go into town... after all, she was supposed to be dead. She chuckled thinking of all of the ghost stories they'd told in this tree house... here she was a walking, talking ghost story all on her own.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The sun was high when the doctor awoke, sore from sleeping on the hard floor. Her mind was immediately pulled to a time when she and her friends had slept on this floor crowded together without so much as a hint of a stiff neck upon waking,

"What a difference a couple of decades of aging makes to the human body," Lauren mused.

Sighing, she sat up and ran her fingers through her hair. She hated not taking a shower in the morning, so stoked the fire before grabbing the old bucket.

"A bucket full of snow will heat up quite nicely while I eat breakfast... whatever mish-mash of deliciousness that might turn out to be."

She pulled on her coat, hat and gloves before tossing the metal bucket down to the snow below. Putting the window screen in front of the fire, she headed down the ladder. Sheltering her eyes from the blowing snow, she dipped the bucket in and started back up the ladder, but stopped when she saw the rope hanging along the trunk of the tree. Following the line up the tree, she smiled when she noticed it was the rope they used to use to haul things up through the trap door in the floor of the tree house.

"Okay, now I'm sure someone has been using this. There's no way it could be in such perfect condition after all of these years if..."

She stopped short, hearing the snap of a twig. Spinning around, her eyes traveled the area around her, squinting as she searched for any signs of movement in the woods.

SNAP!

The sound was closer. She spun around again, hearing the sound of rapid footsteps coming from her left. The blonde's heart was pumping as she caught sight of what appeared to be a very young girl with curly black hair sticking out of the hood that covered most of her long locks and half of her face.

"Hey! Hey! I'm not going to hurt you! I just need..." She huffed, as the girl ran away, slamming the bucket on the ground, "...help."

She could chase the girl, but that may only serve to throw off her sense of direction even more. Besides, she wasn't even sure where the youngster had gone. Sighing, she picked the bucket up, tied it to the rope and headed back up the ladder. Taking off her coat, she pulled back the small throw rug and opened the trap door to haul the bucket up. Closing the door, she placed the bucket on top of the stove to melt while she sorted through her remaining food. She was hungry, but knew she needed to keep at least one granola bar in reserve just in case.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

About an hour later, Lauren had washed up and gotten her belongings together, including a few souvenirs that she decided she would take with her as keepsakes... the book, the pet rock and the red bandana. She smiled, thinking of her friend's motto,

 _"Remember Lauren, it's always a good idea to add a pop of color!"_

Lauren Lewis wasn't usually one for trips down memory lane, given her situation these days, but... well, the memory of the teen kiss had fueled her dreams all night and now, shaking the yearning for the girl of her high school years was proving difficult.

With one last glance at the tree house space that held so many fond memories for her, Lauren headed back down the ladder in search of a way out of the woods. When she reached the bottom of the ladder, she headed off in the direction she looked around, trying to decide which way to go.

"Well, you were lost last night and you're no less lost now, Lauren. You might as well see if you can pick up the trail of that little girl. You may be a genius, but at least she seemed to know where she was going which is more than you can say for yourself."

The doctor set off to in pursuit of the dark-haired child. At best, the little girl's home was nearby and she might be able to ask for directions. At worst, the child was lost too. In that case, she could help her find her way home once she found her car... or they could both freeze to death together...

"Einstein!"

She shook her head, channeling all of her focus into remembering the direction she last saw the little girl traveling before beginning to walk slowly through the snow, looking down with great hope of picking up her trail. After about ten minutes, she finally noticed small footprints in the snow. Clapping her hands together, she picked up the pace all the while thanking the gods of wind and snow that the snow hadn't blown any drifts over the trail of the child's boots.

Tightening up her coat, she forged ahead as occasional cold gusts slapped her in the face. Her steps quickened as she cast her eyes down in an attempt to shield them from discomfort. She kept her focus on the slanted forms of small boots in the snow that were quickly disappearing from view until finally, she smelled a fire burning. Looking up, she squinted hard, spotting a cabin with smoke dancing from the chimney.

Raising her arm to safeguard her face from the spray of drifting snow, she headed straight for the unfamiliar structure. Her friend never mentioned a cabin on this property. Lauren thought to herself... either she was on the wrong mountain or there was a new neighbor in town.

Well, town was an overstatement. Lauren had grown up in the town proper, but this land... her friend's family land... was miles and miles of forest as far as the eye could see. No one ventured out here when they were younger... no one dared... no one except she and Kyle, that is... they never believed the stories... well... not really...

 _ **Flashblack... Lewis Household**_

" _Lauren, you are not going to that girls' house! Those lands are dangerous and everyone knows it! Besides, she is below your station!"_

" _But Mother, she's my friend..."_

" _Lauren, that's enough! You will obey your Mother!"_

" _But Father, there is no such thing as werewolves, the abominable snowman or Big Foot!"_

 _Lauren's Mother insisted, "Well, something has consistently killed the pets of this town and Mr. Swanson hasn't spoken a word since coming out of those woods almost ten years ago this summer. You are not going and that is final!"_

" _But Mother..."_

" _Final, Lauren. Not another word or you will not see that horrid boy for a month! Lord only knows what you see in him anyway."_

" _He's my friend!"_

" _There are plenty of other children worthy of your time at the clubhouse, Lauren. You know how your Mother and I feel about you gallivanting about in public with that boy. We told you once a week as long as you kept up with your other responsibilities."_

" _And I have, Father."_

 _The stoic man stood slightly behind his wife, hand on her shoulder as she sat up straight in the plastic-covered wing-backed chair. He gave a nod,_

" _Your first place finish in the State Fencing Competition is an indication that our insistence on your focus on activities suitable for a Lewis are correct."_

 _Lauren scowled, though remained at attention, her hands behind her back, "And my friendship with Kyle has not prevented that success."_

" _Which is the only reason you continue to see him once a week."_

" _So can't I go to..."_

" _You were second in Archery this fall and third in the Marksmanship competition. You have missed riding lessons twice this month and the spring competition season is about to get underway. You have more important things to be doing with your time."_

" _I am ahead of grade level in every class. I thought academics and acceptance to medical school in my senior year were the priorities."_

" _Your attitude clearly demonstrates the poor influence this boy has on you... and this strange girl."_

" _They are not..."_

 _Elizabeth Lewis stood abruptly, "Lauren Ann Lewis, you will go to your room and tend to your studies this instant! This conversation has dragged on much longer than we should have permitted. Our answer is final. You are not to go to those lands! They are off limits! Do you understand, young lady?"_

 _Lauren's shoulders drew up to her ears at the sound of her mother's raised voice. Her eyes lowered to the floor, she replied,_

" _Yes Ma'am. May I be excused?"_

" _Yes. Dinner is promptly at seven tonight. The Montgomery's will be here. Dress appropriately. They're bringing their son Andrew with him."_

 _Mrs. Lewis looked up at her husband, "Now that is a proper young man."_

 _Lauren rolled her eyes and nodded before leaving the drawing room and heading towards the long, winding spiral staircase at the center of her home. Scaling the steps as quickly as she could, she ran down the hallway past her parents' room, her brothers' room, the study and the library before arriving at her room. Pulling the door open, she hurried inside and slammed the door shut, leaning back against the door and slipping to the floor before allowing the tears to escape down her cheeks._

 _Just about three minutes later, a soft knock at her window drew her attention. Her eyes went wide when she saw Kyle's lips pressed against the glass. She laughed, running to open the latch,_

" _What are you doing? You'll get caught!"_

 _He looked down, "I brought a ladder. Come on!"_

" _I can't! We have company coming for dinner at seven!"_

 _Kyle shrugged, "I parked my ATV at the end of your driveway. I'll have you back by six so you can shower and change for your date with Andrew." He laughed._

" _I do not have a date with that cocky ass! Wait... how did you know?"_

" _He was bragging today about how his parents and your parents are already planning your wedding... how you two will be the richest family in town when you get married."_

 _Lauren laughed, "Fat chance of that ever happening."_

" _Yea, I'm pretty sure the scandal of your love for the ladies will go down in history in these parts some day."_

" _You didn't..."_

" _Lauren, your secret is forever safe with me until you decide it's time to let that piece of news hit the town papers."_

" _Thank you, Kyle."_

" _Hey... that's what best friends are for, right?"_

 _Lauren smiled, "Give me two minutes to change into jeans and a T-shirt. I'll be right down."_

" _I'll go get the ATV revved up and ready to go."_

 _ **End Flashback...**_

Besides her friends' parents' hatred for the people of the town and, in turn, the townspeople's fear of the family that lived here, the stories of strange events kept people from these lands, assuring the owners their privacy. Her friends' confidence in their safety was the only thing that kept Lauren coming back day after day to the tree house, sneaking out at all hours of the night with Kyle's help. But here in this moment, Lauren had to admit that there were times when she was afraid to come here... like right now. She had a bad feeling and her senses were on high alert.

The blonde was shivering as she arrived at the cabin. She stood staring at the structure for a long while, searching her memory for any sense of familiarity. With each passing moment, she became surer that she had never seen it before. She had wandered all over these woods as a teen. Surely, if this cabin had been here, she would have come across it back then. She moved closer, running her hand over one of the logs. The wood wasn't necessarily rotten, but it was also far from new. The structure didn't look run down... just... well-used, maybe?

Lauren wondered... could this have been her friend's childhood home? Had she over exaggerated living in a mansion out of embarrassment? Is that why she'd never permitted them to visit here? But then again, what of the townspeople's knowledge of their wealth and massive family home? Lauren considered the possibility that since many years had passed, the property could have been sold after she had disappeared making this home and land owned by a total stranger. Of course... that was it. That young girl she saw out here earlier was much too young to have been her friends' sister. Her friend had no siblings that she knew of... cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents and parents... yes, but nothing else... not even friends.

Taking a deep breath, she tried to think courageous thoughts as she stepped onto the porch, the old wood creaking under the weight of her boots. She peered in the window before giving a solid knock on the door. When there was no answer, she knocked again. This time, the door opened up just a crack. Seeing no one, her eyes traveled down to a young girl with long curly black hair.

Just as Lauren began to speak, the door slammed in her face, causing her to shudder and take a step back. She hesitated, her fist hanging in mid-air for a long moment before she knocked again. As before, the door opened a crack, her eyes meeting the large, dark chocolate orbs of the child. Lauren smiled,

"Hello there. Is your Mommy home?"

The child shook her head, but said nothing.

"Your Daddy then?"

Again, the child shook her head.

"You're alone, sweetie?" Lauren asked, surprised that a child would be left alone in a cabin in woods rumored to be so dangerous.

The door began to close, but Lauren knelt down and kept her hand on the door, "It's okay. I'm Dr. Lauren. I'm a little lost and am looking for help to find my way. Is there someone home who could help me?"

The girl shook her head again.

Lauren gave her a sad smile, "Do you have a name?"

"I'm Lulu." She replied shyly, bringing an old rag doll to her chest.

Reaching up to stroke the twisted blonde curls of the doll's hair she asked, "And who is this young lady?"

"This is Cara."

Lauren smiled, taking the hand of the blonde-haired doll, "Well, hello Cara. It's very nice to meet you."

Holding the doll to her ear, the little girl smiled at Lauren, "Cara says hi and that you're pretty."

Lauren blushed a bit, "Well, thank you, Cara. Do you think I could come in and visit for a while? It's very cold out here and... well, if you're all alone and I'm all alone, maybe we could all keep each other company until someone comes home who could help me with directions?"

As a doctor, Lauren knew she could not, in good conscience, leave a child alone in the woods and she couldn't for the life of her think of a reason any adult would do so either. She had half a mind to call child services, but knowing that she was trying to keep a low profile, she decided to wait until she had no other alternative. Right now, she still had another week left on her leave from her... job,.. for lack of a better word... at the moment. She had hoped to visit the lake one last time before she left, but right now, that seemed like a selfish use of her free time.

No, Lauren Lewis was a true believer in the philosophy of no coincidences and that ignoring coincidences led to bad karma. Staying with this child and her doll was the right thing to do.

She looked down to see Lulu's hand gripping her own and pulling her inside. She closed the door behind them and walked over to where a large fire was roaring in the fireplace. Looking around once more, her eyes finally settled again on the child,

"Did you make this fire all by yourself, Lulu?"

The little girl nodded before walking into the kitchen where a small ladder stood before the stovetop. She climbed up the ladder, leading Lauren to run up behind her to ensure she didn't fall.

"Want some soup? Momma says it keeps your heart warm when the world tries to make it cold. You can have some bread too. It's still warm."

Lauren watched as the girl carefully ladled some soup into a bowl from the pot of soup that was simmering on the stove. She then tore off a piece of bread from a long loaf and handed it to the doctor.

"Thank you, Lulu. Did your Momma make this before she left?"

The girl shook her head, "I can cook for myself."

Lauren stood stunned as she watched the girl climb down the ladder before reaching up to take her own bowl from the counter, then move to put it on the small stool by the fireplace. She then came back into the kitchen and ripped off another piece of bread before settling on a blanket by the fire.

Shaking off her surprise, Lauren followed with her soup and bread. She sat on the stool opposite the youngster, picking up the spoon and taking a taste of the soup...

"My God, this is... this is delicious." She took another bite as Lulu smiled proudly.

"Yea. I like making soup."

Lauren swallowed the piece of bread she was chewing, "The bread is delicious as well."

"My Momma taught me to make it."

"You made your own bread?" Lauren mumbled, her mouth full of bread. Swallowing hard, she repeated, "Sorry... you made this yourself?"

"Sure. It's simple. A girl's gotta eat, right? Momma says the bread's not gonna make itself."

Lauren found it odd that the little girl spoke so matter-of-factly without looking up from her meal,

"Your Momma says a lot of things. Is she at work?"

Lulu looked at Lauren, then back at her soup, then at the fire, then at the door. Lauren could see that the question had made the young girl nervous.

"It's okay, Lulu. You can tell me where your Momma is."

"She had to go... uh... she needed... well... Momma was hungry. She'll be back soon."

Lauren didn't understand, "Your Momma doesn't like soup?"

Lulu frowned, "She... she... it's not like that. Sometimes my Momma gets hungry and food doesn't work. She has to go away or she gets sick. When she comes back, she's my Momma again."

"How long has your Momma been gone?"

Lulu stood up and walked across the room, climbing onto a bench beneath the side window of the cabin. She looked back at Lauren before pointing at something outside. Lauren put down her bowl and walked to the window, peering through the glass in search of what Lulu was trying to show her.

"See? When I see the shadow point at me five times, Momma will be home." She smiled.

Lauren's eyes went wide as her eyes settled on an ancient sundial in the yard. She looked over to see the little girl smiling,

"How many shadows have you seen so far, Lulu?"

"Uh... well... none yet, but... well... it's okay. Momma says I'm fine on my own as long as I eat, sleep and play the way she's taught me..." She was silent for a moment before she added, "...but she wouldn't be happy that you were here. No one is supposed to see me and I'm pretty sure that means no one is allowed to come in. We never have company... never."

"Don't you go to school?" Lauren asked, trying to sound casual.

The young girl nodded and stood, tugging on Lauren's sleeve before she waved at the blonde to follow her. Lauren stood and walked through the cabin to a staircase that led up to the loft. She watched as the little girl hesitated, before turning back to her,

"You have to turn around and close your eyes. This is private."

Lauren tried not to laugh as the little girl crossed her arms over her chest, giving her a determined scowl.

"Of course." She replied before turning around and closing her eyes.

"Are they shut tight?"

"They are." The blonde replied.

Lauren heard a click, clang and the sound of stone-on-stone grinding before there was a bang and then silence again,

"Okay. Come on." Lulu said.

The doctor turned around to see a doorway that hadn't been visible before and a dark staircase that descended beneath the cabin, but no child.

"Uh... Lulu?" Lauren called into the darkness.

The little girl laughed, and turned towards Lauren, her eyes glowing a brilliant purple, "I'm sorry. I forgot you can't see in the dark."

Lauren shuddered, feeling her heartbeat quicken in her chest as the realization hit her...

' _She's Fae?'_

The Doctor watched as Lulu reached up and grabbed a lantern from a shelf not visible to the blonde in the dark. Striking a match on the wall, the girl lit the wick and handed the lamp to her guest.

Lauren finally found her voice, "You're... Fae."

"What's Fae?"

"You don't know?" Lauren asked.

"Don't know what?" Lulu asked. When Lauren didn't respond, she shrugged, "So... do you want to see my school?"

Lauren hesitated as her mind filled with possibilities for what would happen next. Had she uncovered a new colony of Fae? What was she walking into? A Human walking into a colony of unknown Fae could end very badly or her...

"Come on, Dr. Lauren. I bet there's a lot of books at my school that you would really like since you're a doctor and all..."

The blonde watched as the youngster disappeared into the darkness. Swallowing hard and taking a deep breath, she followed... against her better judgment.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Each step the doctor took let her know she was winding down a narrow spiral staircase made of some sort of metal. The clanging of Lulu's shoes in front of her allowed her to know when she'd almost reached the bottom. When she could hear only her own steps, she raised the lantern high to see the room before her. Finding Lulu sitting in front of her alone, she spun left, then right, her arm extended, in search of others. Instead, she found a room void of other beings... a room the size of her entire lab. While they were alone, the room did floor to ceiling, corner to corner... books... nothing but books and a ladder to reach them. The smell of old leather filled the space, reminding Lauren of a room back home.

"Come 'ere Dr. Lauren! You'll like this one!"

Lulu's purple eyes cut through the darkness like a lighthouse beacon.

"Is there a light in here, Lulu?"

"Uh... well... there's more lanterns over there and over there."

Lauren couldn't see where the little girl was pointing, "That doesn't really help me, sweetie. Can you..."

"Sorry... I forgot you don't see too good."

"I see fine." Lauren mumbled.

' _Damn Fae and their superior genetics.'_

The blonde sighed as the room was finally illuminated to a low glow that allowed her to see her young hostess' face,

"Better?" Lulu asked.

"Much better. Thank you." Lauren smiled.

"Uh huh. Come on. Look at this one. It has all the body stuff in it. It's so cool!"

Lauren sat beside the little girl on the floor and leaned over to see the picture beneath her finger, "This is the brain. It's weird looking, huh?"

"I guess that's one way of looking at it." Lauren smiled, loving Lulu's enthusiasm for science and learning, "So this is your school?"

"Yup."

"Are there other kids who come here?"

"Nah. My Momma says I don't need to learn with other kids. She says I'm super smart and since I can read, I can learn it all on my own."

Lauren nodded, "I see. So... do you have a computer to look things up?"

"What's a computer?"

The blonde stiffened, wondering how a child in this day and age wouldn't know what a computer was, "It's smaller than the book in your hand, but holds all of the knowledge of every book in this room... and then some."

Of course, looking around the room, Lauren was fairly certain there would be some books in this library that would not have seen the light of day in the human world and would, therefore, not be available on the internet.

"Really? Do you have a com...com... what's it called?"

"A computer and yes, I have a few."

"Wow. You must be rich."

Lauren laughed, "I'm not, but my boss is and he gets me everything I need to care for... my patients."

"I've read about doctors in my books but I've never met one before." She stood up and walked to a book shelf, pulling down a very old book before handing it to Lauren,

"This guy is Hippo-crat-is. He was one of the first doctors ever. This is his diary. He's really smart."

Lauren's eyes went wide as she carefully took the tattered binding in her grasp, holding it as if it were a newborn child. Turning the pages, she took a deep breath when she saw the very first version of the oath that she had taken when she became a physician. She traced her fingers over the words as she spoke in perfect Ancient Greek, her voice quiet and steady...

"ὄμνυμι Ἀπόλλωνα ἰητρὸν καὶ Ἀσκληπιὸν καὶ Ὑγείαν καὶ Πανάκειαν καὶ θεοὺς πάντας τε καὶ πάσας, ἵστορας ποιεύμενος, ἐπιτελέα ποιήσειν κατὰ δύναμιν καὶ κρίσιν ἐμὴν ὅρκον τόνδε καὶσυγγραφὴν τήνδε..."

"What does it mean?" Lulu asked.

Lauren smiled, "Now, if you had a computer, you could look that up for yourself. But to have a computer, you would need electricity."

"Do you have electicity?"

With a chuckle, the blonde replied, "I do."

"Can you tell me what it says?" Lulu asked excitedly, "I've always wondered what it says. His other books are translated. This one I can't read. I tried to teach myself... what is it?"

"Greek."

"Yea, but... well... honestly, I didn't know what it was so I didn't know what language I had to learn. Can you read it to me?" Lulu settled next to Lauren again waiting anxiously for the blonde to speak,

Lauren nodded, "I swear by Apollo the Healer, by Asclepius, by Hygieia, by Panacea, and by all the gods and goddesses, making them my witnesses, that I will carry out, according to my ability and judgment, this oath and this indenture. To hold my teacher in this art equal to my own parents; to make him partner in my livelihood; when he is in need of money to share mine with him; to consider his family as my own brothers, and to teach them this art, if they want to learn it, without fee or indenture; to impart precept, oral instruction, and all other instruction to my own sons, the sons of my teacher, and to indentured pupils who have taken the physician's oath, but to nobody else..."

"Who is Apollo and Askpeas and Hygee and Pancreas?"

Again, Lauren laughed, "Well, back then people believed in the Greek and Roman gods and goddesses. We've since learned they're a group of Fae called the ancients."

"What's a Fae?"

"Fae are beings that pre-date Humans on this planet. The Ancients - the people that Humans believed to be gods and goddesses - gave birth to the Fae."

"So who are the Fae?"

The blonde sighed, "Well, they're a race of beings who keep their existence a secret from Humans, although they use Humans to sustain themselves."

"Do they hurt the Humans?"

Lauren hesitated before nodding, "Sadly, sometimes they do."

Lulu frowned, "You called me Fae."

Lauren sighed, "I did."

"So I'm not a Human?"

"Didn't your Momma tell you?"

"She said she didn't know what we were but that it was important we stay away from Humans so we don't hurt them."

Lauren smiled, "Your Momma doesn't want to hurt Humans?"

Lulu shook her head, "It's her number one rule. No Humans die."

Lauren smiled, now more intrigued by Lulu's mom, although she was still angry at the woman for leaving a Fabling alone like this.

"So, Lulu... don't you and your Momma have any family?"

"Well... when I was born, my Grandfather tried to take me, but my Momma killed him to save me. After he died, the Hunters came... they killed my Daddy. It's just me and my Momma now. I never really knew my Daddy. I was just a baby when all of that happened. My Momma says he knew he would never see me grow up. He left me letters for every birthday until I have some sermony."

"Do you mean ceremony?"

"That's it. Something about the sun rising."

Lauren shook her head, "Do you mean your Dawning ceremony?"

"Yea, that's it! That's what she called it!"

"And who are the Hunters?"

Lulu shrugged, "Dunno. They come when my Momma comes home."

"What do they do?"

"They try to hurt us..." She closed the book and stood up, walking to the shelf and placing it back in its' place, "... Momma says they want us to be dead... they say we're evil because we were born of the devil. Momma says that's not exactly true."

"Not exactly true? It's not anywhere near true, Lulu. You and your Mom are part of a proud race and it sounds to me like your Momma tries to do the right thing... well... more than some Fae."

Lauren shuddered. No little girl should have to live this way. Isolated, forced to care for herself at such a young age, learned from books, no electricity, no friends or playmates and now... hunted? She wasn't sure of how to proceed... she only knew that this little girl deserved better... deserved to know who and what she was... to be educated among her kind... protected by her kind. She knew exactly who would do all of that and more for her.

"Would you like to see my computer? To see electricity?"

She spun around from the bookshelves and smiled, "Really? Could I really?"

Lauren smiled, "Well, you showed me your world, it's only fair I show you mine. I can have you back here before your Momma even knows you're gone."

Lulu frowned, "I don't know. Momma says I'm supposed to stay hidden so no one can hurt me."

"Lulu, I have no intention of hurting you or letting any harm come to you."

"Are you sure?"

"I took the Oath of Hippocrates, remember?" Lauren smiled.

She smiled, "You did."

The little girl paused for a long while as Lauren watched her consider her options. Finally, she looked up at Lauren with glowing eyes,

"Okay. Let's go!"

With that, the little girl raced up the staircase, leaving Lauren behind. The blonde smiled, taking the time to blow out all of the other lanterns before gripping the one she'd been given and heading back upstairs. She wanted to get going so they could find her car before it was dark out. While Lulu could apparently get them there with no problem, she would feel more comfortable if she could see where they were going. Next week, it was likely that Lauren would have to return to this cabin to find Lulu's Mom so they could be reunited... if, that is... she didn't decide to call child services first.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Lulu had insisted on cleaning the cabin before they'd left. She said her Momma wasn't too good at cleaning and she would get mad if she came home to a mess that she had to clean up. Lauren had also watched curiously as the youngster had put away anything glass, all of her homemade toys, the pictures on the wall and a wooden box with an iron handle on it that resembled a Jack-in-the-Box.

She informed Lauren that she always got the house ready for when the Hunters came so that things didn't get broken that were important to her and her Momma. Afterwards, Lulu gathered some things into Lauren's backpack, wrote her Momma a note saying not to worry, that she was going with Dr. Lauren to see a computer and she'd be back soon.

While Lulu was getting dressed in her outdoor clothes, Lauren added her phone number to the note and headed out of the house with her little friend.

They arrived at her car about thirty minutes later. It was then that Lulu confessed she had followed Lauren to the tree house when she'd arrived, making sure she was settled there before she headed back to the cabin. As they drove down the road, Lauren asked,

"So how did you know I was anywhere near your cabin? It took us thirty minutes to walk there in deep snow." Lauren looked in the rearview mirror to find the young girl's nose and hands pressed against the glass of the window, "Have you ever been out of the woods?"

"No way. Momma says it's dangerous out here."

Lauren smiled, "Well, I think you'll find you will be very safe in my world."

"Momma says doctors would want to pin me to the table like a worm and dissect me to see what makes me special."

"Not all doctors, but sadly, your Momma is probably right."

Lulu gasped, "Are you gonna dissect me?"

Lauren shook her head and looked at the young girl in the mirror as she began, "I will not dissect you, but if it's okay with you, I will take a little bit of your blood so I can tell you if you're Fae or not. Would that be okay?"

"You can tell if I'm a freak or not?"

"A freak?"

"That's what my Momma says the Hunters call us. They think we're freaks because we're special. She said they're really just afraid of us because we're different... and they think Satan is our Dad and Grandfather."

Lauren was worried about these Hunters... had she found some sort of Fae war?

"You never told me how you knew I was on your land. How did you know?"

"You're really noisy and you smell like vanilla and lavender. Those aren't normal smells for winter."

"You heard and smelled me? When?"

"It was when I was out back in the yard getting firewood."

"Wow. That's some sense of hearing and smell you have there."

Lauren was trying to add up the child's abilities to decipher her species and genus but she was stumped. Maybe the child wasn't Fae?

"Yea and I can do this too." Lulu reached up and touched Lauren's neck before saying, "Lulu wants to know what ice cream tastes like."

"Do you want some ice cream?" Lauren asked, smiling.

"What's ice cream?"

"What?" Lauren asked, confused by the change of topic, "Wait... what... what just happened?"

"All of my senses are special. I can make people do things with my touch and I know when things are gonna happen." Lulu smiled.

Lauren smiled, shaking her head. While her position among them sucked most of the time, the Fae really were an amazing race, "So... ice cream, huh?"

Lulu smiled, "I've always wondered what it tastes like in the real world. Momma makes it only in the summer time."

"I see. Well, I'm not sure we can find an ice cream place open, but I'm sure we can find some when we get to my place."

"Are we there yet?"

Lauren frowned, "Sorry, kiddo. We've got a ways to go yet. You could take a nap if you want."

Lulu shook her head, "Nah. There's too much to see to sleep. Hey! What's that?"

Lauren laughed, "That's called a mall."

"What's a mall?"

"It's a place where you go to buy things like clothing and... well... all sorts of things."

"Momma and I don't use money. We don't need it. She says money is the root of all evil."

Lauren laughed, "Well, in many ways, your Momma is right about that."

"Momma is always right."

Lauren shook her head thinking to herself, _'Well, she wasn't right when she thought it was okay to leave a child alone in a house for almost a month.'_

The rest of the ride was silent with the occasional question about something Lulu had seen. The closer they came to their destination, the more Lauren hoped that she was doing the right thing. She detoured from the compound, deciding instead to head to The Dahl. She sent a few texts at a traffic light, making sure she had all of the supporting staff she would need upon her arrival. With any luck, they would figure out what she was thinking, taking a young Fae child from her home.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

"This place looks just like my home school room." Lulu said, walking next to Lauren as she entered The Dahl.

The place was empty, except for her friend and mentor, the bartender. Lauren stepped up to the bar, smiling up at the balding man who was smiling back at her.

"Hi Trick. Slow night? Where is everyone?"

"Vex threatened them with their lives if they stayed. He decided that your kidnapping of a Fae child would require some discretion."

Lauren shook her head, "I didn't kidnap her."

Lulu climbed up onto a bar stool, "She invited me to see her computers! I wanted to come!"

Trick looked at the little girl and smiled, "Well then, young lady, I suppose you are on a... field trip for school then."

"What's a field trip?" Lulu asked, looking at Lauren.

With perfect timing, Vex and Dyson entered the main room. Vex, a Mesmer who could control the actions of others, came to lean on the end of the bar, inspecting the child like she was the first child he'd ever seen, "Where'd you dig this one up, Doctor? The Wilderness Society's Home for Sheltered Fae Children?"

"I smell wet dog." Lulu whispered to Lauren before looking up at Trick, "Do you make ice cream here?"

Lauren smiled as Dyson walked up next to her before turning to Trick, "She's never had it. Just a small bowl, please?"

Trick nodded while Lauren turned to Dyson, "Lulu, I'd like you to meet my friend Dyson. Dyson, this is Lulu."

"Well, hello Lulu. It's very nice to meet you m'lady." Dyson replied, bowing his head and nonchalantly taking in the scent of the child while his head was lowered. He raised his head, giving the child a smile before giving a slight nod to Lauren, as well as a small scowl,

"Something wrong?"

"No, something... familiar..."

Lulu giggled, looking up at Lauren, "He acts like the people in Shakespeare and Chaucer." She leaned closer, "And he's the thing that smells like wet dog. Why does he smell like wet dog?"

Dyson rolled his eyes, waving a hand at Trick. He was going to need a beer... or five.

Lauren laughed, "He's a wolf and like you, he has exceptional senses, so I do believe he just heard you."

Lulu's eyes went wide before she turned to Dyson, blushing and said, "Sorry. I mean... Momma says it's not nice to say mean things about people... I mean... I love dogs... uh... um... sorry 'bout that... I just..." she sighed, "... I think I'll just quit at... it's nice to meet you."

"Likewise." Dyson smiled, raising her glass to the girl before drinking a long swig.

Lauren laughed, "It's okay, Lulu. I'd love to meet any Momma who takes the time to teach their child manners."

Lauren looked down the bar at Vex who was eyeing the girl suspiciously.

"What? Are you saying I have no manners?" Vex asked, his hand on his chest, eyes wide in amazement of the accusation, "Okay, well... I may not be perfect, but what do you expect? I'm a product of my depraved childhood and that wicked, wicked woman you dethroned before she could prevent the merging of the sides..."

Everyone present knew that the Morrigan would not have had the power to prevent the merger. By the time she'd gotten word of it, Lauren had already convinced the elders from both sides that the Fae were becoming an endangered species. With more women than men living as Dark Fae, the merger was the only way to ensure the survival of their survival.

"...besides, how can this little waif learn any manners when her Mum is never home?" He turned to Lulu, "Come on, little one... out with it then... does your Mum really teach you manners?"

"Does she ever!" Lulu replied, rolling her eyes, "She won't even let me talk bad about the Hunters! She says we shouldn't say mean things about them just because they don't understand us."

"The Hunters?" Dyson asked Lulu before turning to look at Trick, the faces of both men now covered with worry.

Lauren looked up at the two men, "Apparently, when Lulu's Mom returns from... well, wherever she is... which, I believe is out feeding... the Hunters come."

Dyson turned to Lulu, "And what do you do when the Hunters come?"

"Me? I hide. Momma does her sucky thing and when she opens the trap door for me to come out, everything looks like it always does. She goes out for a little while, then she comes back and we have dinner."

"Trick..." Vex began, but Trick cut him off...

"I know, Vex. Dyson, you need to rally the gang. We may have a problem."

"That's an understatement." Vex replied, "You know I'm always up for a good fight, but if the Hunters have returned, we're going to need more than..."

Trick interrupted, "Vex, I'm well aware of what we will need, but with the clans working together now, thanks to our dear Dr. Lewis' plan to save the Fae race, I believe we'll have all of the backup we need if it should come to that."

"The elders have finally become much more cooperative with our initiatives lately." Dyson replied.

Vex looked at Lauren, "I still can't believe you convinced the High Elders that making Humans our partners in life was a better idea than keeping them as food."

"The Humans who were already aware of the Fae only and once they saw the latest numbers from the Fae census I ran, they really couldn't argue. Besides, if the Fae don't change the way they treat Humans, they'll be outed to the entire planet and we all know how that would end." Lauren replied.

Vex raked his finger across his neck and dropped his head to the side before Lulu replied, with a laugh,

"They'd dissect us like worms!" Lulu said to Vex before turning to Lauren, "I love ice cream! Can I have it for dinner?"

Lauren shook her head in reply, "Not all things that taste good are good for you."

Lulu nodded, "I figured this was too good to be something I could eat whenever I wanted. So, I'm guessing there's a lot of sugar and cream in it, huh? I think I can feel my blood vessels closing up as we speak!"

Lauren laughed, "Well, it's not that bad, but it's not something you should eat every day."

Dyson shook his head, "Are you sure this isn't a secret offspring of the Lewis variety? She's way too smart not to be your kid, Doc."

"I think I would remember giving birth, Dyson. Besides, if you remember correctly, I don't exactly have a habit of meeting my coital requirements with a particularly necessary piece of anatomy to make such a feat possible."

Vex snickered, "Well, there was that one night when..."

Dyson interrupted, "And I repeat for the one thousandth time, Vex, the doctor and I were drunk, fell asleep at the Yule party while we were talking on TOP of her bed... fully clothed... and did nothing that involved any form of s-e-x."

"Sex? That's when two people..." Lulu began, but Trick interrupted,

"Can I get you anything else Lulu?"

She looked at Lauren who shook her head, "Well, since I can't have more ice cream, can I have soup?"

"Soup?" Trick asked, looking at Lauren.

The blonde shrugged, "She likes soup."

"Do you have a garden? Where are your lanterns? Do you want me to make my own soup?"

Trick laughed, "I don't have a garden, but I do have a grocery delivery boy."

"What's that?"

Lauren laughed and turned to Lulu, "Let's just start with learning about computers for right now. Dyson, did you..."

"Your bag, my liege." Dyson replied with a bow and a smirk.

"Very funny." Lauren replied, slapping the wolf.

She opened the bag and turned to Lulu. Placing her laptop in front of the child, she hit the power button to wake it from sleep mode. Pulling up her Internet server and hooking into the Wi-Fi she'd installed for Trick about a year ago, she handed Lulu her mouse.

"This is a small version of a computer. This screen will connect you to that big world of information I told you all about. This is a mouse... not the animal version, but the computer version. When you move it, it moves this small arrow called a cursor. If you click like this, you can then type words into the screen, then hit enter and click on any article you'd like."

She showed Lulu how to work the computer, placing her hand over the smaller one now holding the mouse.

"Can we look up eyes? I want to know what makes me see so good!"

Lauren smiled, "I don't think that your particular gift will be found, sweetie. You see, the Fae block anything that they believe could give away their existence."

"Because they would dissect us like worms?" Lulu asked, running her fingers over the keys of the keyboard.

Lauren nodded, "Humans would be quite curious about the Fae."

"Are you sure I'm Fae?"

"If you'd let me take a sample of your blood, I could answer that question conclusively."

Taking a moment to think about Lauren's suggestion, Lulu allowed her fingers to run back and forth over the keyboard a bit longer before she looked up at the blonde,

"Will it hurt?"

The doctor shook her head, "Just a pinch. I don't think it will bother you at all."

"Okay. I'd like to know what I am."

Lauren tweaked her nose, "You're a beautiful, smart, funny and kind young lady, that's what you are. Don't forget that."

"My Momma thinks she's a monster."

Lauren frowned, "Well, I hardly think that is true. She's your Momma and she teaches you manners. She protects you when The Hunters come. She doesn't sound like a monster to me."

Lulu shrugged, "You haven't seen her when her eyes glow... even I get scared."

Not knowing how to respond, Lauren finished drawing the young girls' blood, "All finished."

"Am I Fae?" Lulu asked.

"I won't know until I take this back to the lab. We'll know soon."

"Can I go to your lab with you?" Lulu asked.

Lauren smiled, "As soon as you're done on the computer."

Lulu nodded and began typing in her first search as Lauren turned to her friends.

"Lauren, do we know anything about her Mother?" Dyson asked, drawing the blonde's attention.

"I only know that she and her daughter appear to be in hiding, that they live in a remote cabin on my former best friends' family lands and they have no traceable footprint. No electricity, no water bill, no television... nothing. They eat from a garden and greenhouse and hunt small game for food. Lulu doesn't even go to school."

"Where did you find her?" Trick asked.

"As you know, the Ash sent me to check on my parents... from a distance. Once I knew they were safe and no longer pursuing the truth of my cause of death, I decided to explore the woods where I used to hang out with my friends when I was young. I found her running near the tree house we'd built as children."

"Tree house?" Trick asked.

"Yes. It's a common structure that Human children build to..."

"I know what a tree house is, Lauren. I just... where is this property?" Trick asked.

"It's about two hours from here near Lake Pike. It's hundreds of acres of land."

Trick looked pale as he slowly asked, "Lauren... what was your friends' family name?"

"Dennis."

"Dennis?" Trick asked, confused, "You're sure?"

"Yes. Her name was Ysabeau Dennis and her parents were Aoife and Jack Dennis. Apparently, the land had been in the family for centuries and..."

Lauren was interrupted by the front door to The Dahl coming of its hinges. All eyes turned to see a woman wearing black leather pants, knee-high black boots, a deep maroon leather vest covered by a long jacket with a high collar, behind which, was a cross bow. Her hair was worn up in a braid, her glowing blue eyes were wide as she drew two daggers from her boots and asked...

"WHERE IS SHE?"

Lauren's eyes began widening with recognition as she stood from her chair. The woman's voice boomed again,

"WHERE IS MY DAUGHTER! GIVE HER TO ME... OR SUFFER MY WRATH!"

Lauren took slow steps towards the woman who cocked her head to one side, then the other as the blonde approached. Lauren's eyes never left the brunette as she carefully approached her,

"Lauren." Dyson warned as he slowly stepped in front of the child at the bar, shielding her eyes from what he knew might come next.

"I AM ALL POWERFUL. YOU WILL KNEEL AT MY FEET. THERE IS ONLY ME AND MY CHILD. WHERE IS SHE?!"

Not taking her eyes from the woman, Lauren replied to Dyson,

"It's okay, Dyson. I know her..." reaching out, the blonde placed a gentle hand on the woman's arm, "I know you... I know you... I do." Lauren said, her eyes flooding with disbelief as her heart rate quickened.

She was afraid, but a voice in her head insisted that this woman wouldn't hurt her. This woman... the one person she never expected to see again... she could never cause her harm... could she? The woman's dagger moved forward causing Lauren to stop her forward progress. The brunette stopped, cocking her head to the other side while her blue eyes continued to glow brightly. Lauren watched as she seemed to struggle with the words she'd spoken, seemingly struggling to reconcile them with what she was seeing.

Lauren took one more slow, hesitant step forward once again, Dyson's voice whispering words of caution once again. She raised her hand, signaling him to stop as she took yet one more step closer,

"You're my childhood best friend. I'm sure of it. I would never forget you... your face... your hair... your lips..." Lauren closed her eyes tightly, willing the memory of a single kiss from her mind. Opening her eyes once more, she reached out towards the brunette's arm, "We grew up together. The forest... the tree house... our friend Kyle... don't you remember?"

The woman cocked her head again, her eyes traveling slowly down to her arm where the hand was giving her bicep a gentle squeeze,

"...Ysabeau? It's me... Lauren..." She smiled shyly, "... you used to call me your Lolo when we were kids. I thought... I thought you were..." her eyes filled with tears, "...dead. Please Izzy... come back to me? Don't leave me again."

The brunette looked up to meet soft, teary brown eyes that were pleading with her to listen. She scowled, her eyes flickering between blue and brown before familiar eyes looked up at Lauren,

"Who... what... I don't... no... it can't be... it's..." blue eyes surged forward again, but Lauren was persistent,

"Please, Izzy... It's me... It's your Lolo. We were young... we were... very fond of each other... we told each other..." Lauren lowered her eyes, speaking in a whisper, "...what we felt for each other..." Looking up, the blonde added, "... you held me that night..."

The brunette cocked her head to the other side, "We kissed..."

Lauren nodded and smiled, watching as brown eyes reappeared. She slid her hand down her arm to the brunette's hand,

"We did... it was prom night. We shared... a special moment... one I've never forgotten. Do you remember, Izzy?"

The brunette looked down at Lauren's hand, "It's Bo now... not Izzy. Is it really you? Are you really my Lolo?"

The woman who now called herself Bo swayed, her breathing growing irregular, but her eyes remained locked on the blonde's as she awaited her answer. Lauren moved closer, giving her hand a squeeze as she smiled and replied,

"It's me... your Lolo."

Lauren reacted quickly as the brunette fell forward, catching her and gently lowering her to the floor,

"Momma!" Lulu ran to Lauren's side, "Momma!"

Lauren watched as Lulu laid her head on her old friend's chest, wrapping tiny arms around her body, before lifting her eyes to Lauren,

"Can you help her?" The child asked looking up at the blonde with watery eyes.

Checking her friend's pulse at her wrist and finding it was calming, she smiled at Lulu, cupping her cheek,

"I won't stop until I do, Lulu. Your Momma's going to be okay... you're both going to be okay. You're not alone anymore."

Lauren looked over her shoulder at Dyson and Trick whose gaze moved from each other to the Doctor. The pair offered the blonde a nod, before turning back to give each other another long look... a look that did not go unnoticed by Lauren. They knew something. What were they not telling her? As she took a step towards them, all eyes turned towards a voice at the door where a young girl was entering, stepping over the splintered piece of wood,

"Damn, BoBo... you sure do know how to make an entrance!" The young girl's hair was jet black with streaks of purple. Her striking blue eyes fell on the trio on the floor below her,

"Lulu, you are in SO much trouble!" the young girl declared, her hands set firmly on her hips as she scolded the younger child.

The young girl looked up at Lauren, "That's my Kenzi. My not-really Aunt and the worst influence on my life... according to my Momma... but Momma wouldn't have it any other way... so she says... but she still complains that my Kenzi taught me how to pick a lock and shoplift candy in my boots. If she's such a bad influence, why does my Momma think she's important for me? Does that make any sense to you, Dr. Lauren?"

Lauren closed her eyes, smirking, "Not in the least, Lulu, but you do know her?"

Kenzi's eyes went wide, "Know me? Know me! I practically raised this little flower from a bud! I am the salt to her pepper, the peanut butter to her jelly..."

"You're allergic to peanuts, Aunt Kenzi." Lulu interjected with a giggle.

Kenzi huffed at the girl, "Now how many times have I told you not to interrupt me when I'm on a roll... now... where was I... oh yea... the sun in her sky..."

"Momma?" Lulu asked, watching her Mom's eyes flutter open.

The woman sat up bolt straight, pushing Lulu behind her and drawing her dagger to Lauren's throat, her eyes blazing a brilliant blue once again,

"Izzy... it's me, Lolo..."

The brunette stared at the face of the blonde for a long moment before leaning in next to her ear and inhaling deeply. She pulled back, her eyebrows knitting together as she slowly lowered the dagger,

"Lolo?"

Lauren smiled, "It's just Lauren now. Izzy, you're safe here. You and Lulu are both safe here. You don't need to be afraid."

"You don't know me... you don't know what I am... what I'm capable of... I'm not your Izzy anymore... I'm... different now... I'm a... ma... monster. It's not safe for you to be around me."

"You may have been missing from my life for about a decade, but I do know you, Ysabeau... and I do know exactly what you are. You will always be my Izzy no matter what you call yourself. I'm telling you... you're among friends here." Lauren placed her hand on her friend's, "I promise Izzy... you and your daughter are safe here."

The brunette looked down at her daughter, "Lulu, why are you here? I told you this world is dangerous... I told you not to... I told you not to leave our home..."

She returned her gaze to Lauren's,

"... and now, no one is safe. The Hunters will follow. They'll be here. They always find me."

Dyson took several steps towards her, "How? How do they find you?"

Bo shook her head, "What happened to me? I feel... my head..."

Lauren placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, "We'll figure it out. Can you stand?"

Bo shook her head, "I feel... drained. I... I think I'd rather stay on the floor for the moment."

Lauren smiled, "That's fine."

Dyson asked again, "The Hunters... how do they find you?"

"Geez. Who is this guy? I thought you had better taste in men, Lolo." Bo smirked.

Lauren smiled, "Now you know I have no taste in men."

Bo laughed, glancing up at an impatient Dyson, "Fine. Look... I don't know. They track me some how. I've tried everything."

Lulu added, "Momma always comes back through the trees. She never stays on the ground, but the black panther still finds us."

"Black panther?" Dyson asked.

Lulu nodded, "They have a black panther on a leash. His collar is made of metal. It cuts his skin... that's how I know when they're coming. I can smell his blood..."

Bo cut her daughter off, shaking her head not to give out too much information, but surprisingly, Lauren finished for her,

"Lulu is an excellent tracker." She turned to the mother, "Your daughter saved me, Izz... sorry... Bo. That'll take a lot of getting used to."

"It's okay. What were you doing there, Lauren? Why would you go back?"

"Believe me, going back to our hometown was not at the top of my to-do list, but I had this feeling... I don't know... I just... I had to go check on the... status... of my parents. I parked my car near Pine Grove..." Lauren hung her head, "Under our tree and well..." clearing her throat, she looked up at Bo, "I got lost and had to spend the night in the old tree house. Lulu found me, fed me and helped me get back here."

Bo shook her head, "Your parents?"

Lauren shrugged, "Alive. I don't know any more than that. I didn't actually make contact with them. It would be dangerous for them to try to find me. The Fae... they..."

Bo was shaking her head vigorously, "No, no, no... you can't be here... not near me... not around me. I don't want this for you, Lolo... I can't... I couldn't protect Kyle, but I will protect you. You need to go... you need to stay away from me. I need to go."

Bo went to move, but Lauren placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and shook her head, "I can't leave here, Bo. I'm not permitted... look... it's a long story, but I can't leave. Besides, I have a life here. Sure, it's not much of one, but it's more than I had back in our hometown after... well... you know."

The pair were silent for a moment before Lauren let out a long breath, "Izzy... I mean, Bo... what happened to Kyle? What did you mean when you said you couldn't protect him?"

Bo frowned, turning away from Lauren as her eyes flashed blue, "It doesn't matter. I have to go. They'll find me and when they do, they'll find all of you. I won't let you get caught up in my mess. I will protect you and Lulu if it's the last thing I do."

Kenzi huffed, "Yea... the chopped liver standing right here. Don't worry... I'm not offended at all."

Bo looked up at Kenzi with a sigh, "You know I'd never let anything happen to you either, Kenzi... of course, you do make it hard to keep you safe sometimes. You never listen to me."

All eyes turned to the young woman standing there quietly, her arms crossed over her chest in defiance,

"What?"

Bo heaved a heavy sigh, "Kenzi, I told you not to follow me. Now you're in danger again and so is Lulu!"

Bo spoke flatly, her voice filled with anger, yet fear.

"Well, like you said, I never listen to you, BoBo? Besides, I was worried you would... well..." she pointed towards the door, "...do something like... suck a smile onto a hot blonde's face and as for Shortstack here, she got her own ass in danger."

Kenzi eyed the room, "Although it looks to me like she's a whole helluva lot safer here than alone in that damn isolated cabin in the woods."

"It has a safe room, Kenzi! It's designed to protect her when the Hunters come! It protected me most of my life until..."

"Wait... you lived in that cabin when we were kids?" Lauren said, her voice brimming with emotion somewhere between shock and sadness, "I thought you lived in the big mansion on the property. How could they keep you there! If I'd have known..."

"It was for the best. I didn't know why they made me stay there once I entered Middle School, but I sure as hell know now." She steeled her voice, "It was the right thing to do."

Lauren looked up at Bo and began to protest, but stopped when she saw the brunette's eyes flash blue again. Her old friend turned away, becoming acutely aware of her hunger.

Bo had been interrupted during her feed back on her forestlands when Kenzi had come to warn her that Lulu had left their home. She had dropped the husk of a man she'd found trespassing on her property and headed straight for the small plane on the airstrip along the lake. One man was never enough to quell her hunger... not even close. People knew not to come on to her lands. There were signs posted everywhere warning of the dangerous beast who dwelled within the forest, but still... they came anyway hoping to make her their trophy. They came in groups with guns and crossbows, but had never succeeded in taking her down. She knew those woods like the back of her hand and had set plenty of traps to snare any unwanted guests.

Her thoughts were redirected to the feeling of Lauren's hand moving on her wrist. Her long fingers were laid delicately on her pulse point, her eyes focused on the second hand of her watch as her lips barely moved in her count of the beats. Bo noticed the way her old still tucked her hair behind her ear when she leaned her head down in concentration. As in the past, the blonde strands running along the strong jaw before trailing down the long slender neck reminded Bo of the current that ran along the sandy beach of the lake at her home. Her Lolo still looked so much the same... yet so much more beautiful as Lauren. Her friend had grown into an incredibly attractive woman... not that Bo had ever had any doubt that she would, but the fact drew her in just as it had when she was a child.

The intensity of that attraction had only grown through their teen years, but Bo had pushed the feeling aside in favor of protecting her friend from her family. Little did she know that while she sheltering Lauren and Kyle from them, that she would turn out to be the greatest threat to her own friends. She knew what her family was capable of, but she had never – at the time – thought that she could possibly be anything like them. She hadn't felt like them... not in all of her time at the cabin. Her parents had warned her a change was coming, but when it never came, she stopped believing them... she let her guard down. She had convinced herself she was normal... until that night with Kyle. If only she'd known that he needed protection from his girlfriend as well as his girlfriends' family.

Still, right now, all she could feel was the hunger... that nagging need in her gut and loins that beckoned her with incredible intensity. Yes, this blonde's scent was familiar... she smelled like... home and that gave her Succubus a sense of peace it had never known anywhere but in her dreams... dreams that Bo woke every morning denying. She would never endanger Lauren... would she? God she smelled... amazing and her aura... she felt like a moth drawn to a flame.

"BoBo... I don't think that now is the time..." Kenzi said, watching her friend's lips move closer to the blonde's, her eyes glowing a steady, ethereal blue.

"Just a taste... I'm so hungry, Kenz..."

"Bo... BO! You can't! BO!" Kenzi pleaded, placing a hand on her friend's upper arm.

The brunette turned, gripping her friend by her neck as the young Goth slapped at the arm, her legs dangling in mid air. Bo's other hand remained on Lauren who felt a surge of desire run up her arm, flooding her entire body with want... with need.

Trick nudged Dyson, nodding towards the brunette. The pair seemed to know exactly what was happening.

Dyson gripped the arm that was holding Kenzi causing the brunette to release both women and turn on the man, her free hand going to his throat... squeezing...

"You DARE interrupt my feed?"

Dyson could feel the fingers of the brunette tighten around his neck, "I offer myself. Take what you need."

"Momma? Momma, please!"

Blue eyes turned towards the voice of her child. Bo's commanded, "Child... you must leave."

"But Momma, Doctor Lauren says we're safe here. Please! I want to stay! They can help you! Momma, please! Don't turn him into a smiley face!" Lulu begged.

Lauren stepped forward, trying to shake off the effect of Bo's touch on her body,

"Izzy... I mean... Bo... please... can we talk?"

Bo's eyes dimmed to brown, then flashed blue once again as she looked at the blonde, "You should move away from me."

Lauren looked at Dyson, "Are you sure you can handle her feed? If she is what I think she is, then..."

Dyson smiled, looking back at Trick who nodded, "She's a Succubus, Lauren. We know. It's okay."

Lauren scowled. She knew she had been right. They knew something... more than just her genus. She sighed, watching as Dyson turned back to face Bo who had loosened her grip slightly. Lauren pulled Lulu back to her and Kenzi who gave the blonde a knowing glance. It was a silent acknowledgement between the two women that Lulu didn't need to witness her mother feeding.

Kenzi placed an arm over the child's shoulder, "Lulu, what do you say we go over here to the bar and get you something to eat... and me something to drink."

Lulu hesitated, looking at her Mom for a moment before Kenzi nudged her towards the bar,

"Don't forget about what that book said about your liver, Aunt Kenzi."

"Well, right now, my heart and brain need the drink more than my liver doesn't need it, half pint."

Kenzi led Lulu to the bar while Bo watched, her eyes remaining a steady blue.

Dyson stepped in front of the brunette, moving into her personal space. She placed a hand on his chest and pushed him back,

"You don't understand... I could kill you with a single feed."

"I've met your kind before... I can handle it." Dyson smirked.

"You've never met anyone like me... trust me."

"Feed, Bo... just... take what you need." Dyson pleaded, knowing that he had to keep Lauren off the menu of this Succubus.

"I need more than a single person can give me." Bo replied, shaking her head, "I don't want to kill anymore."

"You won't, Bo... you're not Human... I'm not Human... trust me... you can take what you need."

He leaned in, his lips hovering closer to Bo's. She looked past him to where her daughter was sitting, feet dangling from the stool as she talked to her friend Kenzi. Her eyes traveled to Lauren's who diverted her gaze to the floor. Looking back up at Dyson, she placed her hand firmly on his chest as he was about to lean towards her,

"No... stand still... no touching... do NOT touch me."

"But how will you..."

Shaking her head, she replied, "I told you. I'm not like anything you've ever met."

Lowering her hands to her side, Succubus eyes returned before she pulled a blue stream of his life force from his body from a distance. Dyson's eyes went wide at the power of the being before him, one hand moving to his chest as she pulled without mercy while Kenzi watched over her shoulder from the bar.

The young raven-haired girl was surprised at how long it took for the man to show signs of fatigue, but when he suddenly dropped to one knee, Kenzi intervened,

"Bo... stop!" She stood up, moving quickly from the stool, "BO! STOP! YOU'RE KILLING HIM!"

When Dyson's second knee hit the floor, Lauren reached into the lapel of her jacket and pulled out a single syringe before hurling it at her old friend. The brunette stopped her feed, looking down at her chest where the needle now protruded from her body. Pulling it out, she moved her gaze from the sharp tip to the blonde and looked into her eyes as her own returned to brown,

"Lolo?"

Lauren nodded, "It's me, Izzy. I'm sorry. I can't let you kill him. He's my friend... my protector... I have to protect him too... I'm so sorry."

Bo dropped to her knees, "No. I'm...I'm... the one... who's... so...rry," she said, speaking her last words before she collapsed to the floor from the heavy sedative.

"Momma!" Lulu yelled, running to her Mother's side. She looked up at Lauren who knelt down next to her,

"She's okay, sweetie... just asleep." Lauren gathered the needle into a case and dropped it into her pocket, "I gave her a sedative so she wouldn't hurt my friend."

Dyson breathed heavily beside them, "Thanks, Doctor."

Lauren smiled, "You're welcome, Wolfman. That heroic bravado is going to get you killed one of these days. You're not a one hundred year old man anymore, ya know."

The blonde gave her friend a nudge, the pair sharing a smile, "Seriously, Dyson... are you okay?"

"Other than feeling like I just ran a very, very long marathon? Sure thing."

Kenzi stood over the Dyson, "Damn! You got some mad mojo, dude!"

Dyson smiled up at the young woman before his face twisted at the scent he caught when she moved in closely, "You're... Human?"

"Uh... well, I'm certainly not a Giraffe!"

He looked up at Lauren and shook his head, "What have you gotten us into, Doc?"

Lauren shrugged, "I'm not sure, Dyson... but I took an oath to..."

Vex chose that moment to make himself known, "We know, we know... you took an oath to do no harm... yadda, yadda, yadda... how many more times do we have to hear the tale. I'd rather poke my own eyes out! What's wrong Wolfy?"

"Nice back up, Vex." Dyson said, struggling to his feet.

"Well, when nature calls, one must answer." Vex replied, grabbing his junk.

"Vex, there is a child present." Lauren scolded.

"He comes by his ignorance innocently, Doc." Dyson said, rubbing his neck, "He's a product of his shitty Dark environment."

"And wolfy here is a product of his. That Light Fae upbringing did nothing to help your balls grow now did it?"

Dyson growled, "I didn't see you offering yourself up for a feed to protect the Doctor."

"Living with the Dark for all of those years didn't make me suicidal, ya know." Vex deflected.

"Yea, well Lauren has saved your ass more times that she's had to save Trick, Tamsin and Hale's put together." He shook his head, trying to get his wits about him again, "Damn ungrateful Dark Fae."

"That's enough!" Trick intervened in the two bickering Fae, "If all we've been through together hasn't been enough to help you two bury the hatchet, I don't know what will. At some point, you two are going to have to work together... please... think of Hale and all of the effort he has put into bringing peace to the sides."

Vex laughed, "As if the Morrigan is ever going to let go of the fact that the good Doctor here turned her into a Human!"

"Vex, for the last time, she gave Lauren no choice. Besides, the doctor has been found innocent of all charges by the joint High Court of Light and Dark Fae. No one can prove that Lauren had anything to do with turning Evony into a Human. The _former_ Morrigan was caught plotting to disrupt the peace between the sides. As far as the Elders are concerned, Evony got what she deserved. She should be grateful they allowed her to live."

Dyson shook his head, "What are you complaining about anyway, Vex? You got what you always wanted. You're the Morrigan of the Dark now."

"A title that means nothing now that the two sides can co-mingle. All the riches and none of the fun."

"Yea, my heart bleeds for you." Dyson said, getting to his feet, "Your life is just filled with hardship."

"I do have a heavy cross to bear. Another pint, Blood King."

"Don't call me that, Vex." Trick replied, reluctantly filling another pint for the Dark Fae Mesmer.

Lauren shook her head, "If you two are finished, I'll need help getting her to my lab."

"Do you think that's a good idea? I mean... neutral territory?" Dyson asked.

"I can't monitor her any further from a bar floor, Dy."

"But..."

"My main lab is better outfitted for the tests I need to run than my lab at the Light Fae or Dark Fae compounds. Besides, she doesn't appear to have been born into a clan. Dyson, she doesn't even know she's Fae."

"Well, the way she talks of her family, it sure sounds like she knew they weren't human."

Kenzi interrupted, "Wait... she's not Human? She doesn't know that. She just thinks she's a freak."

Lauren looked up at the young woman, "I'll have to run some tests to be sure, but... well, everything I heard as a child about her family and what I just witnessed... I'm nearly 100% sure that she is Fae... and Fae aren't Human like you and I are, Kenzi."

Trick moved from behind the bar towards the group, "I agree with Lauren that the neutral lab is the safest place for our guest at this time."

Again, Trick and Dyson exchanged a knowing glance. As before, Lauren noticed but said nothing, instead nodding her agreement,

"She doesn't seem to know what she is, Trick. Do you suppose her family ever told her?"

Trick hesitated before shaking his head, "I do not."

"Why would she not have been educated in the ways of the Fae by her family... especially as a Succubus nearing puberty. They could have prevented the death of our friend Kyle. They locked her away in that cabin. We thought she was going home to a family... "

Lauren's gaze turned back to Bo's, her fingers pushing the hair off of her shoulder before trailing down Lulu's back. She felt horrible about what had happened to her friend. How had her daughter come in to all of this? Where was the father of Izzy's child?

Trick folded his arms over his chest, exchanging a glance with Dyson who replied,

"Maybe it was for her own protection? She's powerful, Lauren... more powerful than she appears. I've never known a Succubus to feed without touching their prey. I've been with Succubi before... her pull was... extraordinary."

Lauren chuckled, "Interesting adjective considering she almost killed you."

"That's just it, though... how could someone your age almost kill a powerful wolf of my experience and age?" Dyson asked the Doctor.

"You don't look that old to me." Lulu said, while twirling her Mom's hair.

Dyson smiled, "Thanks, kid, but I'm 1,800 years old."

Lulu looked at Lauren who nodded, "Ohmagosh! You're like... Dinosaur old!"

Dyson chuckled, "Not quite that old."

"Are you really a wolf? You don't look like a wolf. I've seen pictures of them." Lulu replied.

"I'm Fae... a wolf-shifter. Do you know what that is?" Dyson asked.

She looked up at Lauren who nodded, "I read about them in my library, but they're not real."

Lauren smirked at Dyson, giving him a nod. He partially shifted, showing his eyes, face, fangs and nails to the little girl who scrambled to her feet, stepping behind the blonde as her eyes glowed purple.

"Hey! Out with the lights, kid." Kenzi scolded.

Lulu looked up at Kenzi, "Sorry."

Dyson looked up at the young woman, then smiled at Lulu, "It's okay. She doesn't have to hide who she is here."

"And what do you think she is, exactly?" Kenzi asked.

"She's Fae... like me... but..." Dyson inhaled, "... there's something... different."

"She doesn't have a wolf face." Kenzi argued.

Lauren intervened, "There are many, many different Fae. Dyson is a wolf-shifter, Vex is a Mesmer and Trick over there..."

Vex cleared his throat, "Hey! Hey! Do you mind not giving out all of our secrets?"

Lauren blushed at her unconscious geek out about the Fae, "Sorry."

Trick spoke to Kenzi, "We keep what we are to ourselves. It's considered impolite among our kind to ask about our powers. Our ability to catch people off guard is part of why we survives as a species and as individuals."

The doctor scowled, "Sorry, Vex. I was just trying to explain..."

"Yea, you were just outing the Fae to a HUMAN! You agreed, oh wise one, that the one law should remain, remember?"

"For the safety of the race, Vex. Not for the safety of a small group of people trying to help a family who has no idea what they are!" Lauren argued.

"Well, I can take care of any potential leak right now." He reached out his hand, then the other, causing Kenzi to begin choking herself.

"VEX!" Trick commanded, causing the Mesmer to release the Human.

"I'm the Morrigan and I decide..."

Trick interrupted, "The Dahl Riata is a place of Sanctuary! All who come here are free from oppression and protected from those who may seek to harm them! Clearly this young woman has been isolated from the Fae her entire life."

"Well, it sounds like she knew enough to fear having her friends near her family!"

"That may be, Vex, but it doesn't mean she knows the laws of the Fae. If she did, her daughter would surely have been taught who and what she is by now."

Vex turned and glared at the child before releasing Kenzi from his hold, "Fine! But mark my words, Human... you so much as speak a whisper of what has transpired here, I will find you and finish you!"

Kenzi's eyes were wide with panic as she tried desperately to regain her breath. Lauren moved to her side and examined her trachea,

"I'm so sorry, Kenzi. It doesn't feel like he damaged anything permanently. Some ice would help."

"What is wrong with you people!" She asked, pushing Lauren's hands away, "You're some sort of man-version of a fur ball, you're a – albeit tastefully dressed - psychopath and..." pointing to Trick she added, "... I don't know what you are, but I'm sure you're something crazy as hell too! And you..." she turned to Lauren, "... you want BoBo to believe we're safe with you? You're crazier than all of them!"

Lauren shook her head, "Kenzi, I swear to you on my life that all three of you are safer here than you are out there with The Hunters on your trail."

"Maybe we lost them. They're usually here by now. We must have lost them." She wrapped two arms protectively around Lulu.

Dyson sniffed the air, "I don't think so. Trick..."

"She's on her way." The barkeep replied.

"Well, she'd better hurry up." Dyson replied, taking a deep breath, "Vex... get ready."

Trick walked behind the bar and picked up his shotgun, bracing himself on the bar, the barrel pointed at the door, "Dyson?"

"They're here." The wolf replied, shifting into his wolf form and tearing the rags that were once his shirt from his torso just as five men entered the bar, armed with firearms.

Lauren immediately took two down with syringes thrown from each hand. Dyson took the next one who grazed him with a bullet before the wolf snapped his neck. Vex held the last two, causing them to point their weapons at each other and fire.

"Well, that was easy."

Dyson shook his head, "There's more. Lauren, get the Human and kid down to Trick's lair."

He picked up a table and placed it over Bo's body, "Vex, they're coming in the back door. I've got the front."

"I heard there's a party. I'm insulted you didn't invite me sooner." Kenzi eyed the tall blonde-haired, blue-eyed woman as she walked past her on the way to Trick's lair,

"Let me guess... Amazon warrior princess?" She deadpanned.

"Don't insult me. I'm a Valkyrie Princess." She looked past Kenzi, "Doc, you cool on your own?"

Lauren ushered the Human and the child down the stairs, closing the door behind them. She flipped over a table and ducked down behind it before opening her jacket to reveal a row of syringes, "Armed and ready, Tamsin."

"Great. Make protecting that door your priority. Acacia says the little one there is important... her Mom even more so."

Lauren scowled, wondering what else she didn't know about her childhood friend. This was all very overwhelming, but right now, she needed to focus on keeping them safe.


	2. Chapter 2: Back to the Woods

_**Chapter Two: Back to the Forest**_

Bo awoke to a beeping sound and something in her arm. Opening her eyes, she squinted at the bright light shining down from the ceiling.

 _Ceiling... where am I? Lulu! Where's Lulu!_

She sat up straight, "Lulu! LULU!"

"Momma! Chillax! I'm right here!" Lulu said from the chair next to the bed. She stood up, putting the laptop down on the chair and crawled up onto the bed, "Doctor Lauren said you shouldn't touch that. She's the doctor. She takes it out."

"Did you seriously just tell me to chillax?"

"Uh... sorry." Lulu replied, her shoulders curling up towards her ears at the sight of her Mom's eyes flashing blue, "But... you really aren't supposed to touch that needle tube thing."

"Yea, well I won't be someone's lab rat and we can't leave with this in my arm." Bo said, with a determined scowl.

"We're leaving?" Asked Lulu, her face riddled with panic.

Before Bo could reply, Lauren entered the room, shoving her hands in her lab coat pockets shaking her head as she watched Bo pulling the leads from her head and chest,

"Would you mind letting the doctor do the doctoring?"

Bo looked up, her hunger hitting her at the sight of her friend's beauty. Her mind raced with thoughts, but control became the single idea at the forefront of her mind. Lauren moved to the side of her bed, causing Bo to lay back and swallow hard, squeezing her eyes shut before opening them again.

"So you weren't a dream." Bo whispered.

"Not a dream and for now, I'll save the question as to why you allowed your best friend to believe you were dead for a decade. As for the blue eyes you're hiding, should I be worried... being alone in this room with you right now?" Lauren asked, quietly.

"I'll admit that I'm hungry and have certain... needs... right now." She said, glancing at Lulu who was playing with the leads on the heart monitor, "But whatever your friend is, he did quite a bit to take the edge off of my hunger. You'll have to thank him for me when you see him."

"He's on his way in right now to give you another feed... a full feed, if you'll allow it."

Bo looked at Lulu, "I don't... since I gave birth... I don't... ya know. I didn't want to risk it."

Lauren nodded, "You don't want to risk another pregnancy. I hadn't known Succubi could become pregnant. I mean... since there's more than one in existence, it's logical but... well, I'd just never considered... since the feed involves... ya know... I mean... that could be a lot of babies running around out there for every Incubus... a lot of illegal babies since Succubi and Incubi usually use a buffet of Humans to feed."

Bo scowled, "I don't... I'm not... like that. I don't..."

"Momma doesn't have sex." Lulu said flatly, "She says that sex should only be with someone you really, really, really love."

Lauren smiled at the young girl, "Well, I hope you remember that when the boys come knocking on your door, sweetie."

"Yuck. Boys are stupid."

Bo and Lauren laughed, as Lulu added, "But I might like girls."

Lauren smiled at Bo, "Well, whoever you fall in love with, I agree with your Momma that waiting to have sex is the right thing to do."

Lulu looked up at Lauren, "Will I get hungry like my Momma does when I'm older?"

Two pairs of brown eyes looked intently into Lauren's. She diverted her gaze, taking a short breath and exhaling it, shrugging her shoulders,

"Well, you are your Momma's biological child so her biology is part of you. The rest of your genetic makeup comes from your Father and potentially, the descendants of your parents. You could have the powers of either or, in recent years, we've seen some cases where children take on some aspects of both parents. That's rare, but it can happen."

"What kind of Fae was my Father?" Lulu asked, looking from Lauren to Bo and back to Lauren again.

"I'm still running your blood tests, so I'm not sure just yet. All I can tell you so far is that your Momma here is definitely a Succubus, but there is something strangely familiar and unique about her blood."

Lauren went to say more, but stopped short.

"Lolo?" The Succubus began, her eyes focused intently on the blonde awaiting the words she'd suddenly refused to speak.

The blonde smiled at Bo's use of her childhood nickname, "It's still strange to hear you use that name."

"I'm sorry. It's hard to go back to calling you Lauren. I mean... I know we haven't seen each other in over ten years, but still... something about you... about being with you again... it feels like it was just yesterday and... well, yesterday I was calling your Lulu."

Bo smiled softly at the blonde who replied, "I know exactly what you mean because just yesterday you were Izzy to me."

The brunette paused, seemingly fighting with herself over what she was going to say next, "Izzy..." She smiled, shaking her head, "she doesn't exist. She was a teenager who would never have thought of killing a beetle let alone a human. Ysabeau was a captive of her family. Bo is who I am now... I've changed Lulu. You don't know me anymore and if you did..."

Lauren shook her head, interrupting where she knew her friend was going with her thoughts, "Bo... I know you want to leave, but... I don't want to lose you again... I can't... please..."

Bo watched as the blonde's eyes welled with unshed tears before she turned her face towards the machines and began turning them off one by one with unsteady hands. Bo reached out and gripped her wrist gently. Lauren moved her eyes slowly to meet Bo who was smiling softly,

"You won't. Now that we're in touch again, I promise you that... well, I'll find a way to make contact with you once in a while. I just... it's not safe for you to be around me, LoLo... I mean... physically near me. We can talk by phone... I can buy a burner..."

"Izzy..."

Bo shook her head, "Lauren, my control... sometimes I just get... angry. There's this darkness that seems to consume me and... well... I just lose myself. It's why I leave Lulu in the cabin on her own. I would never forgive myself if I ever hurt her."

"What about her Father? Couldn't he..."

Bo shook her head, "His name was Rainer. We shared... my parents arranged... well... we... for a while... and... um... " She began quietly before stopping short.

"Bo, you don't have to tell me." Lauren whispered, her small smile and nod serving to reassure her old friend.

Her eyes locked on the computer screen, Lulu spoke matter-of-factly while continuing her search, "The Hunters took me when I was little. When Momma and Daddy found me, he made her leave with me. He knew that he had to stay so I could live, so he did."

Lauren gazed at Lulu for a long moment, wondering how the youngster could be so casual about such a thing, but when she looked at Bo, she got her answer.

"She was only two when it happened. She's never really known a life other than what I've provided for her. She has no real memory of him and I don't... we don't talk about that." Bo frowned, shaking her head, "You must think I'm a terrible mother."

"Honestly, the thought had crossed my mind. It was one of the main reasons I'd had her come back here with me." Lauren admitted before moving closer to her old friend,

"But Izzy, now that I know what you've been dealing with, I think you're just a single mother that was doing all she could to keep her daughter safe while fighting for her own life as well."

Bo shrugged, shaking her head, "I wish you would call me Bo. The Izzy you knew is long gone, Lauren. You wouldn't be talking so nicely about me if you knew the things I've done... the things I'm capable of now."

The brunette sat up, "Lulu, thank Dr. Lauren for showing you the computer. It's time for us to go."

"Bo..."

"No, Lauren. You and all of your friends are in danger if I stay. I have spent the last ten years of my life running from The Hunters. I don't know how many there are, but I do know that in all of that time, they've never stopped coming... never."

"Bo, let us help you. The Fae will help you... they always help their own."

Standing from the bed, she grabbed the laptop from Lulu and closed it, putting her hand up to her daughter when she began to protest. She held the device out to Lauren, who reluctantly took it,

"Bo, it doesn't have to be this way. Please."

"Lauren, I'm grateful for all you and your friends did for me yesterday. I'm happy that Lulu got to spend some time with people other than Kenzi and me. I'm grateful that she got to see just a little of what she's only read about in books. I'm glad she knows more about what she is... truthfully, it will allow me to teach her more about whatever she will become... but it's not safe for us here..."

She turned and pulled off the scrub top she had on, "...And it's not safe for anyone if we stay."

She scanned the area for her clothes, only then realizing her clothes were nowhere in sight. She put her arms across her chest, grasping her breasts to keep them from view and turned to face Lauren,

"I'd like my clothes, please."

Bo's eyes flashed blue in response to the doctor's brilliant aura, which went to ten at the sight of the Succubus' body. The brunette reined in her control, shutting her eyes tight before looking back at the doctor who had also managed to calm herself.

Lauren took a deep breath and walked to the other side of the lab, opening a drawer and pulling out the clothes she had folded and placed there the night before. She walked back towards Bo and placed the items on the bed before walking over to Lulu who was standing quietly by the bed. Lifting the young girls' chin so their eyes met, she found moist cheeks staring back at her,

She frowned, brushing a few strands of hair from her face, before she spoke quietly to her, "Lulu, it was so very nice to meet you. I'll see you again."

"Do you promise?"

Lauren nodded, "I promise."

The girl wrapped her arms around Lauren's waist, holding tight to her before her mother interrupted them, clearing her voice.

"You shouldn't make promises you can't keep, Doctor. I meant what I said. It's for your good and hers that you not see us again. I will call you and maybe you and Lulu can talk from time to time, but this is my decision and I hope that you'll respect that."

Her voice had a tone of finality to it... a tone the doctor remembered her using to tell her teen best friends that they could never come to her house... and they never did.

"Come on, Lulu. It's time for us to go home. Thank the doctor."

Lulu looked up at Lauren, but could only manage more tears. She released her hold on Lauren and, gave her one last look, before turning to take her mother's hand with a pout.

Bo looked up at her old friend, "Thanks again, Lolo. It really was good to see you... it's nice to have an image of you all grown up. At least one of us got to live our dream."

Lauren nodded looking around the lab. She rolled her eyes, shaking her head, "Well, I'm not sure that my situation could be considered my dream, but I am practicing medicine... well... in a way. I'm glad you're alive and well and your daughter... she's beautiful inside and out. I just hope you'll think about what I've said, Bo. Give me some credit for knowing more than just a little bit about your world. I treated an Incubus a while back and helped him with his control."

"Thank you." Bo replied, but Lauren noticed the shift in her tone and eyes. She pushed out a last ditch effort,

"Bo, I'm just saying that you have options that you didn't have twenty-four hours ago. I just hope you'll realize that you don't have to live the life the way your parents forced you to live it. Lulu doesn't have to grow up the angry teenager that her mother was being kept isolated from a normal life. You can have more, Bo and so can Lulu. I wish you could trust me the way you did when we were kids. I may look different, but I still have your back just like I did when you broke into Mrs. Cuthbert's classroom to free the mice that she held captive in the biology lab."

Bo smiled as she stared down at her daughter, but as quickly as she seemed to soften, the frustrating woman erected walls seemingly made of steel,

"Goodbye, Doctor Lewis." She said, before mother and daughter turned and headed for the door.

Lauren took a step forward and called out, her voice cracking as her throat spasmed, "Izzy, please. Don't..."

Bo dropped her daughters' hand and turned back towards the doctor, making quick work of the distance between them. She took her face firmly in both hands and place a hard kiss on her mouth. Lauren was caught by surprise, but slowly melted into the kiss, her knees going weak before the brunette pulled back and spoke... her voice soft, yet firm, "I've never forgotten you, Lolo. Hell, how could I? I practically named my daughter after you. My heart is breaking to leave you again, but you can't trust me, Lauren. Just that brief kiss has me dying to suck the life from you... the kiss... prom night? It was like someone threw a switch and... I ran from you that night... ran because I felt this strange hunger. I ran from you and God help me I'm glad I did or you would be... I should have gone home, but I didn't want to let Kyle down... I should never have... anyway... events played out the way they did. I made a choice to save you and instead killed Kyle."

"Izzy..." Lauren began, the realization hitting her about what had happened to her other friend that night.

"It's Bo... but you will always be my Lulu." Bo closed her eyes as she leaned in, closing her eyes as their foreheads pressed together, the scent of the blonde filling all of her senses. She fought for control, remembering that this woman was precious to her... as precious as Lulu and she never wanted to hurt her. Pushing down her hunger, she held onto the feeling of holding her Lolo this close... a dream she'd secretly held for far more than a decade. She'd been so much more than a childhood crush. She'd always been the one to get through to her when no one else could.

"I've changed too, Bo. I've done things that I'm not proud of and now... well, looks can be deceiving. This is not my dream, Bo. It's my reality... a reality I didn't choose. I'm Doctor Lauren Lewis. The Lulu you knew is long dead."

"Well, she's alive in my memory and that is where you must stay. In another life, I would have liked to have stayed here with you... I hope you know that."

"In this life, you could still choose to stay. We can help you, Bo. I can help you... and Lulu too."

Bo shook her head, and pulled away, going back to a waiting Lulu. She knelt down and zipped up the front of the little girls' coat,

"Goodbye, Lauren." She said, wiping tears from her daughter's cheeks, but Lauren continued. She didn't care if she had to talk to her friend's back as she walked away. She was going to do whatever she could to convince her old friend that she could be safe with them - that they could... they would... protect her. She swallowed hard, balling her hands into fists as she spoke with a strong, steady voice,

"You're wrong, you know. You aren't even giving yourself a chance to see what we have to offer here. You're not giving Lulu a chance and that's not the Izzy I grew up with. You were the one who stood in the pouring rain collecting cans for the homeless outside the town grocery store. You were the one who insisted we run a clothing drive and a toy drive for children."

She watched as Bo placed a hand on the door,

"Don't you dare walk away from me while I'm talking to you!"

Lauren was surprised by the volume of her own voice,

"You left me! You took all of my choices away with you! You left me to clean up your mess so you will damn well hear me out right now! At least give me that much courtesy if you ever considered me your friend."

Bo lowered her hand from the door and dropped her daughter's hand. She turned to face Lauren, arms crossed over her chest with a scowl on her face. Lauren took a deep breath, looking at a hopeful Lulu before moving her gaze back to Bo and taking several strides towards her as she took several cleansing breaths before she continued,

"You were the one who ran around the school, terrorizing the student body until we had a thousand signatures on a petition for getting the town to pay for the elementary school kids to go to that amusement park. You have always been a champion for children and yet you keep your child from all of those experiences. I'm sorry if I've overstepped, but you're being offered a better life for you and your child, but you're refusing to take what we're offering in favor of continuing a life of isolation for both you and Lulu. I would have thought you would have wanted more for your own flesh and blood. You don't know your world as much as you think you do and here in this colony, we fight for what's right. We will fight for you and your daughter, Bo. You just have to give us a chance."

Bo closed her eyes tightly, clenching her jaw for a long moment before she turned back to stare at Lauren, her eyes cold and blue,

"You're right. You have overstepped." The Succubus then turned, dragging her daughter out of the lab.

Lauren stood dumbfounded in her lab as tears threatened to fall at the sound of Lulu calling out to her. She wasn't sure if the tears were because her Izzy had just walked out of her life for a second time... or if it was simply the fact that Lulu had just been dealt a sentence similar to her own. Izzy didn't realize it, but she was enslaving her daughter to a life of isolation. Lulu would know only her books and her research in the darkness of the quiet library in the basement of that cabin. Izzy was dooming her daughter to a life lived through words on a page, rather than a life lived through the experiences that every child should have... many of the same life experiences that her own mother was denied at the hands of her parents. History was repeating itself and there was nothing Lauren could do to stop it.

She pressed her hands deep into her lab coat pockets and sighed before turning to look around the lab that had become her sanctuary over the past ten years of her servitude. Sure, she had more freedoms than most human slaves. Sure, she was the champion of the Fae, leader of the number one crime-fighting team of the new joint Light-Dark task force, but still... with all that she'd managed to make of her servitude, she was still a slave. It was in times like these that the silence of this place was deafening. It was times like these that the emptiness of the space surrounding her made her feel lonelier than she'd ever felt she could. Izzy had just made the choice to walk out of her life... and she felt the weight of that loss all over again.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

Lauren had managed to move her focus to the cultures she had neglected over the past two weeks. Most were ruined, so she'd had to start over again, but the rest were going to have to wait for the delivery of formaldehyde that was due sometime in the next two days. Looking up at the clock, she felt her stomach sink as her mind filled with thoughts of Izzy's abrupt departure about three hours ago. She pushed back from her desk, letting out an audible sigh before reprimanding herself,

"Stop it, Lauren! Izzy left. So what. It's what she does. Move on. She made her choice. She chose her path and that of her daughter. You have no say. Just push them out of your mind." She scowled.

She was tired and it was nearing lunch, so she decided a break was in order. Moving over to the refrigeration unit, she reached past the test tubes of Fae blood samples and serums to pull out the container that held her salad. Closing the door, she moved back over to her desk and moved her papers onto a pile at the right of her desk. She then opened the top drawer and pulled out a place mat, disposable fork still wrapped in it's plastic, a packet of salt and pepper and a napkin. Setting her desk in meticulous fashion as one would a table, she opened her salad and dressed it with the condiments she'd brought before realizing she'd forgotten to finish making her iced tea.

She moved over to the lab table in the far corner where her tea was bubbling in an Erlenmeyer flask over a Bunsen burner. Grasping her tongues, she removed the flask from the flame and carefully poured it into a beaker filled with ice. She returned to the cooking set up and turned off the burner, making sure to shut off the gas main as well. Gripping the beaker, she walked back over to her desk and sat down to enjoy her lunch.

She opened her laptop, swiping several windows aside until she found the documentary movie she'd been watching on her streaming service. She'd been drawn to the film about the Galapagos Islands – a place that she had hoped to do research after she'd finished her trip to the Congo years ago. Sadly, the Fae had changed the course of her life before she could live that dream... and many others. So, lately she had chosen to live vicariously through the filmmaker, as he took her on the fantasy trip of her lifetime. Galapagos was a living, breathing laboratory in and of itself not to mention the fact that Charles Darwin had actually roamed the lands. It was exciting to think of walking in his footsteps as he'd developed his theories of evolution.

"Lauren!"

The doctor's head snapped up at the sound of her friend's voice, her body snapping to attention as if by reflex,

"Dyson."

"I called your name five times, Doc."

"I'm sorry. I was just..."

The shifter smiled, "I know... lunch and a documentary. You get a little lost."

Lauren blushed, her posture relaxing, "What can I say. I may prefer the fairer sex, but I will always have a love affair with..."

"Charles Darwin. I know. I wish you'd believe me when I say he really wasn't all that great."

Lauren laughed, "Of course, your massive ego would never allow another man to be attractive to any woman... especially if he didn't have your abs."

"I guess I should be grateful you prefer women. You would always choose wrong if you were looking for a man in your life." Dyson laughed.

"Well, if I ever do meet a man who knocks me off of my feet, I certainly hope that isn't the case." Lauren replied with a smile, but in truth, it wasn't about man or woman... it was simply about her Izzy. She sighed, closing her eyes for a moment to put the memory of their kiss out of her mind before opening them again, focusing on the item in her friend's possession,

"So, I see a folder in your hand. I guess that means we've caught a case?"

"Actually, this is for your files. It's the lab results from that case with the fairies that were killed a few months back. Sorry it took me so long to get it back to you."

"No problem. I honestly didn't even notice it was gone."

"Well, that's not like you. You okay, Doc?"

Ignoring the question, Lauren replied with one of her own, "So... you just came to return some long lost file of lab results?"

"Actually, no." The shifter hesitated before adding, "I thought you had a right to know."

Lauren paused her video, then dropped her fork and wiped her mouth. She turned her chair to face her friend,

"Okay, I'm all ears. Tell me about any rights I may have regained as a slave to the Fae... or tell me what I've done wrong this time." She laughed at her own sarcasm.

"It's Bo... and Lulu."

Lauren shot up out of her seat, "Where are they? What happened? Are they okay?"

Dyson put his hands up, stopping the Doctor where she stood, "Relax, Lauren. They are both alive... but... well, you should know that they were apprehended just down the hall from your lab when they left this morning."

"Apprehended? By who! This is neutral territory!"

"The Elders got wind of some... rumors... about who Bo is... about... what she is."

"What?"

"Lauren... they also have suspicions about who her daughter could be. They're being given the test."

"Lulu is a child! And Izzy... I mean... how can they do this? They have no knowledge... no official training! This is madness!" Lauren's hands balled into fists, her voice trembling as she argued the decision.

Dyson again raised his hands, "Hey. Don't shoot the messenger here. Besides, from what your friend has said, Fae parents raised her so they should have taught her something about defending herself."

He could see Lauren was in panic mode, her fingers fidgeting at her mouth as she mumbled incoherently while her eyes wandered around the space in which she stood. He gripped her shoulders with both hands, before gently tilting her head up so she could look into reassuring eyes,

"Lauren, your friend has survived alone all of this time. She has survived The Hunters all of this time."

"Dyson... who are these hunters?"

The shifter shook his head, "They're not Fae, Lauren. Well, not really." He shook his head, "Look, they're not important right now..."

"No!" She pulled away, crossing her arms over her chest, "You and Trick no something about Izzy... about MY Izzy! She was everything to me growing up, Dyson! And then she... she... she just... vanished! And now... I mean... she was barely making sense but... I think she's the one who killed my childhood friend Kyle... and... the timing of it... we were teenagers... I think it may have been her first feed... I don't think she knew what she was and... and I think she blames herself! Dyson, you don't understand her like I do! She was always saving... things... people, kids, animals... hell, even bees and the Praying Mantis! If she blames herself for harming innocents, she'll think she deserves to be punished... or worse! It's how she was raised, Dyson!"

"Lauren, don't get carried away. You don't know..."

"They won't survive. I don't even think Lulu has her full powers yet and Bo... well, I have no idea what she knows about fighting Fae, but... well, the Hunters are one thing, but considering I'm not sure what she actually knew about what she was, I'd have to assume that she isn't prepared to fight mystical beings with Fae powers and..."

"And what, Lauren?"

Lauren looked up at her friend with tear-filled eyes, "She may not want to... she may think she deserves this fate and if she thinks Lulu would be better off without her..."

She fell against Dyson's chest, her hands gripping at his leather vest as small sobs escaped.

"Lauren, you saw how she defended her daughter. She left with her because she thought she was protecting her. She's very possessive of that child, so I doubt very much that she has any intention of leaving her any time soon."

She pulled her head back, looking down at the wet spots she'd left on her friend. Wiping them dry with her lab coat sleeve, she looked up at him and asked,

"When is it happening?"

"They're prepping them to go now." Dyson replied.

"I'm going." Lauren said, moving quickly away with renewed determination to grab a belt of syringes.

"Lauren, stop." Dyson said, walking over to his friend, "You're no match for them. You wouldn't even get out of the compound."

"What?" Lauren asked with a scowl.

"There are guards posted outside your door and in the corridors. The Ash gave them orders to keep you here. Apparently, someone gave him the details on your former relationship with Bo."

"Izzy." Lauren whispered.

Dyson sighed, "You heard her, Doc. She said her name is Bo now. You're going to have to get used to the idea that she's not the same girl you knew back in high school. Maybe the Elders are right. Maybe she is a threat."

Lauren's head snapped up, "A threat? They think she's a threat? And Lulu too?"

Dyson lowered his eyes, "There are things you don't know, Lauren."

"Then explain it to me, Dyson. I know you and Trick know more about her than you're saying. I don't know how or why, but I know you know something you're not telling me."

He shook his head, "It's not my story to tell, Lauren."

"Typical Fae bullshit!" Lauren spun away from the wolf, throwing her hands up, "Why can't you explain it to me, Dyson? Why can't you explain it to the weak human who is too stupid to understand why her childhood best friend and her daughter could be a threat to a species who makes meals out of the other seven billion Humans they share this planet with!"

"Lauren, I know the Fae have wronged you, but there is wisdom in their ways."

The doctor laughed aloud, looking over her shoulder at her friend,

"Wisdom? Are you speaking of the wisdom demonstrated by stopping a war to save all of Fae-kind by dividing said race and almost causing its extinction? Or maybe you're speaking of the wisdom shown by trying to kill your friend Sabeen for simply loving someone who was from the other side of that division? Now that was wisdom... creating a rule that killed anyone who fell in love with someone from the other side... as if people can control who they love! And speaking of Sabeen, after hundreds of years on death row, her chance for freedom finally comes in the form of the Stag Hunt used to crown a new leader for the Light Fae? That's wise already... let's kill off our own people for sport! Or... wait... we might be talking about the wisdom of the Wolf Spirit who told you that you would defeat the Garuda and instead she almost got you killed?"

"Lauren..."

But the blonde ignored her friend and instead laughed, turning to look at him, her eyes now shedding tears of hysterical laughter,

"And of course, now they're really showing off their brilliant IQ's by going after a rare species of Fae and a Fae child bred from that rare species... a child no more than TEN... instead of worrying about The Hunters who have been preying on them and the Fae for apparently longer than a decade?! Oh, and let's not forget my personal favorite! The wisdom they showed in asking for Trick's daughter's life in exchange for peace! Wisdom, Dyson? The Fae are barbaric and you know it!"

Dyson shuddered at the mention of Trick's daughter, but hung his head to avoid giving anything away. After many years of fighting by Lauren's side, he had come to see her side of things. He had been raised to think of Humans as food... as slaves who are weak and unworthy. He knew she was right about his kind, but right now he could only hope she would forgive him for not telling her the truth of all he knew. Strengthening his resolve, he resigned himself to the fact that right now, it was his duty to keep Trick's secrets. He raised his eyes to the blondes',

"Look, Lauren. You know that I have come to respect your point of view... even agree with it quite often despite who and what I am. I don't agree with what they're doing, but I meant it when I said there are things you do not know. I wish there was something I could do, but it's out of my hands."

"Dyson, you have to be there. Please. You have to help her! You're a Fae with a certain station among the Fae. I'm sure you are permitted to be present!"

"I haven't been permitted to see her, Lauren."

"Do you know if they have they allowed her to feed? She'll be too weak to fight if..."

He shook his head, "I'm sorry, Lauren. They haven't allowed them to see anyone. And..."

The wolf paused for a long while.

"What, Dyson? And what?" Lauren asked, impatiently.

"They've separated them."

"How can they be so cruel as to separate a Mother from her child in an unfamiliar place?! This may be the last time they see each other if one of them..." Lauren shook her head, "...I can't even think about it. Where are they?"

She looked up, tears running down her cheeks, but Dyson remained quiet.

"Where are they, Dyson! Tell me!"

"They're in the dungeons below the glass factory." Dyson mumbled.

"This is neutral territory! They were taken from neutral territory to the dungeons!"

Lauren turned, picked up the beaker from her desk and hurled it across the lab, smashing it against the glass door just as Hale was about to enter. Straightening his jacket, and running his fingers down his lapels, he opened the door,

"I take it this outburst is in response to the news about the woman I hear was your childhood friend?"

Lauren spun to face the Ash, "How could you, Hale?"

"I take it you will clean up this mess and collect yourself, Doctor?" The Ash replied, ignoring her question.

Lauren heaved a cleansing breath and steeled her jaw, "You've gone too far and you know it, Hale. You have no rights in this facility. This is neutral ground in accordance with the laws of the new Light-Dark Alliance and Evony..."

Adjusting his fedora, he shook his head, "I have every right. Yes, this is neutral ground, but you, Doctor, are Light Fae property and keeping you safe from harm is our number one responsibility. There were two unknown Fae on the grounds and..."

"They are NOT unknown to me! Izzy would NEVER hurt me and her daughter is just a CHILD!"

He looked away from the blonde, collecting himself before he continued, "Doctor, I assure you I am doing everything I can to protect your friend and her daughter."

"By separating a child who knows nothing about what she is from the Mother who has been all she has known for her entire life? And in a dungeon Hale? You forget I have experience with Dungeons and it is NO place for a child!"

"Doctor..."

"And throwing a ten-year old girl into a fighting arena against beings she has never seen, known or been educated about? You've done nothing but assured her death!"

Hale shook his head, "Doctor, I suggest you remember your place and calm yourself down."

"Or what, Hale? You'll throw me in a dungeon too?"

"I'm warning you Doctor."

"Do it, Hale! Go ahead!" She waved her hand around her lab, "Do it and all of my work goes dark. You get no answers and neither do the Elders."

"Are you threatening me?" Hale asked, his posture straightening.

"I'm reminding you, Hale."

Dyson whispered in Hale's ear,

"Hale, come on. You're being an ass and you know it."

The Ash turned to his former partner, giving him a scowl, but the wolf shook his head and raised his eyebrows causing his friend to rethink he words. With a sigh, he turned back to Lauren,

"Lauren, the Dark were demanding the execution of both the Succubus and her daughter. I intervened suggesting the test. It was my only recourse. I gave them a chance for survival. It's the best I could do considering I wasn't even in the loop initially. The Dark had their counsel meeting before I even had a chance to convene the Light."

Lauren's shoulders dropped, her face acknowledging what she now knew, "Vex!"

Hale nodded, "He reported to the Elders about what happened at the Dal yesterday. He believes that your friend is the one named in the prophecy... the one that will bring about the Apocalypse."

"Hale, you know that isn't true! I called you as soon as I brought her here! You spoke with your Father and you did your research. According to the prophecy on the scroll of Clan Zamora..."

"I know what we discussed, Lauren. Unfortunately, the divide in the royal families also means there is a divide in the beliefs about the prophecy. They have a different slant on whole story. They don't believe she's a defender... they believe she's the instrument that will bring it about."

Lauren shook her head,

"Well, isn't that just perfect. Once again, the Elders and their lackeys have gotten it wrong. The two beings who are meant to _save_ us from the Apocalypse are about to be killed in a test that means absolutely nothing now that the sides have been abolished."

"And other than the lore of my clan, do you have any other evidence to support that fact? I need more if I'm going to defend them, Lauren." Hale asked.

Lauren lowered her eyes and slowly shook her head, "I have only my gut feeling, based on who Izzy has always been."

"And who is that?"

"A defender of the weak... the victim of the bully on the playground to the spider she wouldn't let Mr. Giffords kill in Math class." Lauren smiled at the memory of her friend arguing with their teacher in the middle of a test. A trip to the Principal's office and a failed grade on the test was worth it to Izzy if it meant that tiny creature got to hitch a ride on a piece of paper to get back outside.

"Doctor?" Hale asked.

"Sorry..." Lauren shook out the memory, "I am just sure they are not going to bring about the prophesized Apocalypse I've heard about since coming to the Fae. She deserves a chance to live to show the Fae what she can become. What's the harm in keeping her around and watching her for a while?"

"I don't know that they want her on our lands. Besides, she plans to remain Unaligned at her choosing. You know that the Unaligned won't be able to protect her as the Dark or the Light could."

Lauren smiled, "You've explained the divide?"

Hale nodded, "All has been explained. Evony spoke with her as well as the leader of the Unaligned."

"You sent Evony in to meet with her?"

"Lauren, like it or not, she is the elected leader of the Unaligned clan. She speaks for all Humans and Unaligned Fae."

The doctor shook her head, "By choosing a leader for the Unaligned, you create a third clan by design. Why is that so hard for the Elders to understand?"

"Who would speak for them if not Evony?"

Lauren went to speak, but was interrupted by a bright white light followed by a familiar voice,

"Idiots. I'm surrounded by idiots."

"Acacia? I thought you were in Valhalla." Dyson said, the surprise evident on his face.

"Yea, well Tamsin told me what happened at the Dal which didn't really worry me as much as when she told me what had been happening since the Chosen One was taken from the good Doctor's clinic. I came to intervene on behalf of this..." She held up a scroll, "...Ysabeau Dennis and her child, Lulu."

Lauren smiled brightly, gently clapping her hands together while Hale made his opinion to the contrary known to the leader of the Valkyrie.

"You have no voice on this plane, Acacia." Hale replied.

"We'll see about that, your Ass-ness." She replied with a smirk, gesturing circles from her forehead as she gave him a mock bow, "Her actions will impact my plane as well as this one. What you do next will have universal impact, so be careful or you may draw attention from more planes than just my own."

Hale rolled his eyes, "You're too late. The test is set to begin within the hour. The Elders will never..."

"Oh hush. If the test hasn't begun yet, I still have time... wings, remember? You should keep in mind that if anything happens to these two Fae, you will have signed your own death warrant... that, I can promise. Nothing will be powerful enough to stop the armies that come."

Hale laughed, "We've stopped every baddie from here to Tartarus and back. The Garuda, the all-powerful Ancients! We can handle whatever comes next without the Succubus and her ill-conceived abomination. The Elders believe she is the spawn of Satan and a threat to us all, Acacia!"

Hale's voice was insistent.

"That's ridiculous!" Lauren interrupted, "I've known her since she was in my preschool for crying out loud! She is not the spawn of Satan and your own family agrees, Hale!"

Lauren had to suppress the completely inappropriate need to giggle, but as she listened to the Valkyrie, she recalled Izzy's words after a particularly heated argument with her parents that had led them all to meet at the tree house a few weeks before prom.

 _ **Flashback...**_

" _You don't understand Lolo! My parents are obsessed with rules! My Dad is the king of my own personal hell and my Mom is like the Bride of Chucky! She's either going to suck the fun out of my life or suck the life out of me."_

 _Lolo replied, "I hardly think she'll suck the life out of you, Izzy! She can't possibly be that bad."_

" _Yea, well any normal human would have been thrown in jail by now for half of the shit she's pulled."_

 _ **Present Day...**_

Lauren paused for a moment, remembering her friends' words. Had Izzy known her parents weren't human?

"Like I said... idiots!"

Lauren was pulled from her thoughts by the voice of a frustrated Acacia,

"As Fae, you are well aware that no event is coincidence. So I ask you, why is it that the Human Doctor that you chose as your champion, happens to be the childhood best friend of the very Succubus who has just surfaced? And why is it that your Doctor happened upon her once again just now? She could have gone back home anytime, but she chose now when the number of Hunters is at its highest since the Great Fae War? Coincidence or... something else? And what of this Succubus' parentage? I've heard she has been hidden from the Fae since her birth. If she is a Succubus, then her Mother must be known to us since Succubi are a rare breed of Fae. More importantly, who is her Father? Is that information your Light Fae Elders are keeping to themselves or are they just guessing wildly as is their norm?"

Acacia chose her words carefully, making a point of not mentioning the something else she was considering as the most logical reason for her sudden appearance in conjunction with all of the other changes that were being orchestrated by the Doctor's presence on this plane.

Hale straightened his Fedora, then smoothed the lapels on his jacket, "Well, we will have to continue this discussion at a later date. Dyson, it's time."

"I'd like to go." Lauren blurted out the phrase just as Hale turned his back.

Hale looked over his shoulder, then down at the mess on the floor, "Request denied. You're needed here. Your experiment seems to have found its way to the hardwoods. Clean it up."

Dyson whispered, "Hale."

"Remember your place, Doctor." Hale replied, ignoring his former partner's word of caution.

Hale turned to leave, but Lauren wasn't finished,

"Wow. You know, I remember a time when we worked cases together. Back then you were merely Dyson's sidekick. We fought the Garuda together, we fought the Ancients together, we fought the divide between the Fae together, I was chosen as your Champion before you were crowned Ash..." She paused, shoving her hands in her lab coat pockets with a sigh. Looking up, she shrugged and added, "Back then... we were friends... back then, you didn't treat me like a lowly Human."

Hale scowled, "And now I'm the newly appointed Ash."

Lauren nodded, "And you now hold all of the power the office affords because of MY efforts to unite the sides and put the person in charge we all decided would be best for our vision of the future... a future you seem to have forgotten since you're falling back on the old way of treating Humans like owned property." Lauren replied.

"The power of my office allows me to make decisions with what I feel is best for you because like it or not, you are the property of the Fae. Human ownership laws have not yet changed, Doctor. That said, I believe that the best place for you right now is here, doing the work you do best."

Shaking her head, she replied, her voice raised and more determined, "The best place for me is beside my childhood friend! What if she dies and her child survives! Who will care for her child?"

Hale replied, "She will become a child of the Light Fae. It has already been decided."

"Under whose authority?" Lauren asked, her anger and distress clearly visible on her face.

"Mine." Hale replied, "Dyson, let's go."

"Even though she has said she would choose Unaligned if she were to win? I'm sure Evony will fight you on that!"

Hale spun around, his eyes set fiercely on Lauren's, "And you forget that YOU made Evony Human. Her position with the Fae is tenuous at best."

With that, Hale turned and walked to the door with Dyson following some distance behind. The shifter looked back over his shoulder at the blonde who whispered,

"Please look out for them."

"You have my word." Dyson replied with a nod.

The men departed leaving Acacia standing across from Lauren. It took only moments for several winged women to appear in Lauren's lab. The blonde's eyes went wide,

"It has been decided that we will have to intervene in the destiny of this plane once again. Two warriors that are destined to aid you in the next struggle to save this earth will fall this day if we do nothing. I leave my right hand as your sword and protector, Dr. Lewis. The role you will play in the coming battle is yet unclear, but we are sure it will be significant. Live to fight another day, Lauren and we will take care of your friend and her daughter. You have my word that you will be reunited again... very soon."

"But I am a prisoner here. I cannot leave. There are guards posted everywhere." Lauren replied.

A blinding, bright white light forced Lauren to shield her eyes. When she opened them once again, she found Tamsin standing alone, her Valkyrie sisters and their leader gone from the room. Her friend stood majestically, the full expanse of pure white wings visible for only a moment before they disappeared into her back and she spoke,

"Who said we needed to leave through a doorway?" Tamsin smirked.

"If I leave, I'll be punished when I return."

Tamsin shook her head, "It is beginning Lauren. What did the Witch tell you?"

Lauren scowled, "That I have a destiny to fulfill. I've done so. I'm the Champion of the Light. I've done my part in defeating the worst enemies of the Fae."

"And I told you that the Witch told me that it would be my duty to serve as your teacher and protector when the time came. Your destiny does not involve spending your life as a slave to the Light Fae, Lauren. You are a Healer who is destined to heal all beings, not just the Fae and healing is not just mending physical wounds."

"I don't understand."

Tamsin smiled, "You will. For now, just remember that your destiny cannot be fulfilled from this lab, so stop worrying about this Bo and her child so much. All of you are destined for things yet to come. None of you will die this day. Besides, worrying will give you wrinkles."

"You forgot gray. The Fae are going to make me gray before my time."

Tamsin smiled, "Well, that won't happen for a very long time, so don't worry your pretty little head about aging right now."

"Aging is a fact of Human life. Something you often forget. Besides, you brought it up." Lauren countered.

"My bad. Okay then, let's get this mess cleaned up, Doc. I promise you, Bo and Lulu will be safe." She moved towards the broken beaker of iced tea on the floor.

"But..."

Tamsin shook her head, "You're worrying again. Just trust me, Lauren. There's more happening here than you know. Let's clean this up, then I'll finish eating your lunch while you lessons begin."

"Lessons?"

Tamsin raised her hand, "Uh... teacher and protector here? It's time."

"It's time?" Lauren asked.

"For your training to being." Tamsin replied flatly before setting to the task at hand.

Lauren knew better than to question her Valkyrie friend any further. She would just fall victim to her snark if she pushed for more information. Tamsin was probably even more stubborn than her old friend Izzy. Arguing would only delay the stories and lessons that she now desperately wanted to hear.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

Bo's eyes flashed blue as the guard approached the cell door, "Where. Is. My. Child!"

Hale pushed back the brim of his hat and stepped in front of the captive Succubus, "You will see her momentarily... as long as you cooperate."

Bo's eyes tuned back to brown as she nodded and stepped through the cell door, extending her hands to the guard. Hale reminded,

"No touching."

Bo sighed, rolling her eyes and twisting the corner of her mouth before cocking her wrists back to show Hale she had no intention of using her influence. The guard locked the pair of cuffs in place before gripping Bo's arm and leading her forward.

"Where am I going? You said I could see my daughter. I cooperated."

"You are going to your trials. It's the customary event in which a young Fae chooses the clan of their allegiance. I believe Evony explained to you that IF you win, you will choose Light, Dark or Unaligned. Under our new laws, if by some strange miracle you are a Succubus who chooses to wed..."

Bo rolled her eyes when the man chuckled as he spoke,

"... and your mate is someone from an opposing clan, you will need to align as a couple with one side."

"So I have to join a team." Bo replied sarcastically.

"It is the way of the Fae." Hale replied as they stepped outside.

"Well, I was never one for team sports." Bo replied, "I still don't see my daughter."

Hale pointed towards the van, "She's inside."

Bo sighed, "Terrific. Get in the back of the creepy van. Perfect. No one told me what happens if I lose."

"If you lose, you're dead. What does it matter?" Hale asked.

"What matters is what happens to MY child!" Bo replied, her eyes glowing blue.

"Put those baby blues away before I sing you to sleep, Succubus."

"Ash, I believe you are stepping out of line with a potential member of my clan."

All eyes turned towards the sultry woman approaching the group. Bo sighed, "Here to sell me dental insurance again?"

"Oh, sweetie, with what you're about to go up against, you'll be happy to have it. You're likely to lose a tooth or two, not to mention what could happen to your jaw... in addition to some of those other tasty body parts of yours."

"Lady, my eyes are up here. If you don't have anything to offer the conversation, I'd like to see my daughter. She's been alone for far too long. If you two knew anything about selling a Mom on your clan, you never would have separated this one from her child."

"Now, now darling... no need to be so impetuous. I'm here to answer your question. The Light has tried to stake some claim on your child should you not survive your trial. I am here to provide assurance that your child will be cared for in the manner in which YOU suggest."

"Evony..."

"Just don't, Hale. As the leader of the Unaligned, I am here to remind you that everyone – Fae or Human – has rights in this colony. The Unaligned have just signed a new clansman who has agreed to adopt the young Fabling should her Mother fail in her test."

Bo mumbled, "Nice to know I've failed before I've even entered the arena."

Evony handed a scroll over to Hale who rolled it opened. Within moments, his anger was obvious,

"What is the meaning of this! A slave of the Light cannot adopt a Fae child!"

"Well, apparently, that is where you are wrong."

"It is written..."

"Not the law, Hale... I mean the status of your so-called slave. It has come to our attention that the former Ash had a contract with your Doctor Lewis that if she did, indeed, defeat the Garuda by successfully administering his venom, that she would be free and afforded all of the privileges of _occupation_ as a physician to the Fae, not a slave to them."

"This is preposterous!"

Evony handed over a short stack of papers, "Not at all. Here are the photocopies of the pages from the contract... and those are not the only copies."

"This is... these are..."

"You're caught, Hale! Lauren Lewis is no longer your slave. She is, at this very moment, under the protection of the Valkyrie as are all members of the Joint Clan of Unaligned Human and Fae."

"The Valkyrie are not of this plane. They have no dominion here."

Bo stood stiffly as the debate continued between the two leaders. She didn't know much about Evony other than her clan affiliation and that she was clearly in some position of power. She knew that Hale was the leader of the Light and a total ash-hold who always wore old-school Fedoras. The big news, however, was that her childhood friend had been living as a slave to the Fae? Her conversation with Lauren was now playing on rewind over and over in her mind. What did she say about her dream?

Bo shook her head, realizing that the life she had tried to keep Lauren from was the life that she had somehow ended up living anyway. How? How had this happened? How had they found her? Was Lauren's enslavement her fault just like Kyle's death?

She felt her arm being gripped by the guard and resisted on instinct, her eyes flashing blue once again.

"Relax, Succubus. It's time for you to see your daughter before your test. Know that she WILL be with your childhood friend should anything go wrong. She will be cared for and raised under the protection of my clan and the Valkyrie if you still wish for her to remain Unaligned." Evony explained.

Bo turned to the woman, "Well, considering the Dark are apparently the ones who got me into this mess and the Light threw my daughter into a dungeon by herself and enslaved Doctor Lewis, the Unaligned appear to be my best option..."

She turned to Hale,

"...beyond kicking the ass of anyone who dares enter that arena with me tonight." Bo's eyes glowed blue as she turned back towards the van and added, "You have no idea who you're dealing with, Hale."

She looked over her shoulder, "But you should know that no one who has ever threatened my child has lived to tell about it."

Hale balled his hands into fists, "Are you threatening me, Succubus?"

"I'm promising you, Hale. Touch my daughter again and I WILL kill you. And my name is Bo!"

The door to the van opened revealing Lulu's bright purple eyes in the dimly lit space, "Mom!"

Bo was helped into the van, immediately leaning in until her daughter's head was tucked into her neck. It was an awkward half hug, but Bo knew that Lulu needed the contact as much as she did. The door slammed shut behind them, thrusting them into darkness once again. Bo allowed her daughter the contact for a bit longer as she heard Hale and Evony arguing for a bit outside. Finally, the van engine started and they began to move. Bo pulled her glowing eyes up to meet her daughter's,

"We're okay, Lulu. We're going to be okay. Believe in us, okay?"

Lulu lifted her eyes to her Mother's, "I will, Mom. Where are they taking us?"

"Apparently I'm going to have to fight for our freedom."

Lulu laughed, "You do that every day."

Bo smiled, "That is true, but this isn't against the Hunters. They want us to stay here in Toronto."

"With Lauren?"

Bo sighed, "Lulu, we can't stay with Lauren. You know this. She's Human and it would only be a matter of time until I hurt her."

"But if you did, you could bring her back! You've gone it before! Besides, I wouldn't let you hurt her! I'm always there to stop you if you go to far."

Bo shook her head. She hated that she constantly put her daughter in the position of having to stop her from killing. She hated to admit it, but maybe LoLo had been right... maybe this was the best place for her daughter. Had she been selfish all of these years keeping her hidden?

"Mom?"

Bo's gaze was drawn to her daughter whose face was filled with concern, "Sorry, kiddo. I'm fine. I was just thinking."

"Mom, what happens to me if something happens to you?"

Bo shook her head, "Nothing is going to happen to me... I've survived much, much worse than anything they could throw at me."

Bo watched as her daughter hung her head. She knew what her child wanted to know and, like it or not, she knew she needed to tell her something so that she could lessen the little girls' worry,

"Look, that woman... Evony? You met her?"

"Yea. She's kinda weird, huh?"

"Yea. A little over-the-top but her aura read better than Hale's did."

"I don't trust him, Momma. I don't trust that Vex guy from the Dark side either."

"Good girl. Trusting Hale and Vex doesn't seem good for us. Look... if anything happens to me, Evony promised that you would be adopted by Lolo."

"She likes to be called Lauren now, Mom. Remember?"

Bo frowned, "Yea. I remember. Anyway, this Evony said that there are papers signed to allow Lauren to raise you. She said that you and Lauren would have the protection of the Valkyries. I don't know what they are, but..."

"O.M.G., Mom! I read about them at my school! You see, there's this place called Folkvangr and this other place called Valhalla and..."

"Lulu... we don't have time. I trust that you know what you need to know about them. What's important right now is that you know that I love you more than anything in this world and I'm going to fight like hell to win."

Lulu nodded, "Will I be there with you? I mean... if you need me... will I be there?"

"I don't know, kiddo. We'll just have to wait and see. Remember... we don't waste energy worrying about what if's and maybe's right?"

Lulu nodded, "Sorry."

"No need to apologize, I just want you to focus, stay aware and believe in me, okay?"

Lulu smiled, "Okay, Mom."

"That's my girl." Bo replied as she felt the van stop, "Lulu, remember what I've told you. No one can see you using your powers, okay?"

"Okay. I'll be really careful."

Bo leaned into her daughter, giving her one last half hug, "Okay, baby girl. I think this is it."

They waited only a few moments before the door opened revealing Dyson,

"I've come to help you get through your trial... courtesy of your Lolo."

Bo's eyes flashed blue at the mention of the blonde's name before she nodded.

"Is she coming?" Lulu asked.

Dyson shook his head, "I'm afraid she had other matters to attend to, little one. I was visited by... a friend of hers... a few moments ago. She looks forward to seeing you again, though."

He raised a finger to his lips, giving the two a smile. Bo felt her heart relax as he lifted Lulu from the van, making sure she landed safely before doing the same for her.

"I was wrong about you." Bo replied, "Any advice for me?"

"Don't get dead." Dyson replied, leading them to the rear doors of the glass factory.

"And he's back to being an asshole." Bo snarked, following the guard to whatever fate awaited them. What she did know was that she would die before she would let anything happen to her child.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

As they walked down a long corridor, Dyson explained what was about to happen. Bo listened intently, contemplating how she would defeat the two unknown Fae who she was about to fight... apparently to the death. She didn't have a problem with killing in this situation. The blood of these victims would be on the hands of her captors. Her first priority was saving her daughter, so the deaths of the fighters would be victims of her circumstances.

"Bo, feed from me. You need all of the strength you can get."

"But... I fed from you just yesterday. Won't I hurt you?"

Dyson shook his head, "Just do it. I promised Lauren that I would do all I could to protect you and your daughter. She's my best friend... if you taking some of my strength is what must happen for me to keep that promise, then so be it."

Bo's eyes flashed blue as she looked down at her daughter.

"Feed, Mamma. I won't let you hurt him."

Bo gave a soft smile to her daughter before turning to Dyson, "Don't you dare die on me."

"Feed." Dyson said, leaning in towards the Succubus.

Bo didn't hesitate, closing her eyes and locking lips with the man before pulling back to reveal a long, thick stream of blue chi.

Lulu flipped up one finger at a time as she watched and counted, "One... two... three... four..."

Finally, she reached ten and noticed that her Mother wasn't stopping, "Mamma! Stop! You'll hurt him!"

Watching Dyson drop to his knees, the young girl shook her head and reached out her hand to her Mother's arm. Her hand glowed purple as her veins bulged from her forearms as she transferred her power into Bo,

"Stop now." She spoke, her eyes glowing purple as she gazed upon her Mother who responded immediately to her command.

Lulu removed her hand from her Mother's arm, watching as the purple color dissipated, "Mom?"

Bo smiled, "Thanks, kiddo."

"Sure."

"You okay?" Bo asked, concerned.

Lulu nodded, "A little tired, but I'm okay."

"Sorry, baby. Do you want a little chi?"

"Nah. You need it all. Will he be okay?"

Bo looked down at Dyson who was breathing heavily as he wiped at his face and beard, "He just needs a few minutes to recover. He's quite powerful."

Bo's eyes flashed blue at the thought of feeding from such a powerful creature fully.

"Ewww. Mom, don't fall in love with him."

Bo laughed, "I promise I will not fall in love with him."

"Good. That'd be gross. You falling in love with Lauren's now best friend when she loves her old best friend would just be... well... wrong."

Bo shook her head, checking on Dyson once again. Suddenly, her daughter's words resonated in her mind,

"My old best friend loves me?"

Lulu placed both hands on her hips, "Mom, you really do need to get a clue about love. Sometimes it's embarrassing that you're a Succubus and you're clueless about this stuff. I guess I'll have to start giving the love lectures."

"What?" Bo asked.

"You know... you give the sex talks and I give the love talks." Lulu explained.

"I don't need my ten year old daughter to tell me about love. Besides, what experience do you have with love?"

"Duh... my Empath powers? Not to mention I can see the difference in the auras... like you taught me... love not lush, remember?"

Bo shook her head, "Lust, not lush and we're not sure you're an Empath, Lulu."

"Well, according to the book called..."

"I know, I know... you've studied every type of Fae and it fits. We've had this talk before." Bo interrupted as she helped Dyson to his feet, "But shush. Remember... you're better off playing dumb about knowing anything about the Fae. Remember what..."

"I know, I know... it's how Daddy kept us safe."

Bo tweeked her daughter's nose and smiled, "I promised him I would always keep you safe."

"Mom?"

"Yes, sweetie?"

"Did you love Daddy or just lush him?"

Bo laughed, "Your Daddy and I shared a special kind of love. It wasn't the kind you get married for, but it was the kind that created you."

Lulu smiled, "That's a good kinda love, right?"

"Well, considering it gave me you, I think it's the best kind of love." Bo replied, kneeling down and kissing her daughter's cheek.

"But I think the best kind of love is probably the kind you have with Doctor Lauren. Both your auras look the same... it was really cool and it was all of the colors of the rainbow."

Bo sighed, placing her hands on her hips, "It was, huh?"

"Yea. You should live to love me and Doctor Lauren."

Bo was grateful for the distraction of Dyson getting to his feet. She wasn't sure how to respond to her daughter, but she did know how to check on the victim of one of her feeds,

"You okay? I can give some back if you need it."

Shaking his head, the wolf finally spoke, "I'm good. Come on. If you're late, they'll send someone looking for us."

On wobbly legs, he led the two down the corridor until they entered a room with a balcony filled with spectators. Bo immediately recognized Hale and Evony "Jimmy Choos" Marquis. She saw the men who had abducted her standing next to that slimy ass named Vex. Now she knew why Rainer had warned her to stay hidden... that the enemies her family had warned her about were alive and well. While none of these names were familiar, the terms Light and Dark certainly were. This Unaligned stuff was new to her, though. As she scanned the remainder of the crowd, she also noticed the old man named Trick. Once again, she got the sense of familiarity as she stared at him for longer than the rest. There was something about him...

Dyson interrupted her thoughts, pointing at a wall to her right, "Bo, these are your weapons. Choose wisely. Remember what I told you about each of the Fae you will face. Focus on the reason you're fighting... to save Lulu... for the right to raise her... your way."

"Any other advice?" Bo asked.

"Yea. Don't get dead or your Lolo will kill me."

"Great. Thanks for that fantastic advice." Bo replied before turning towards a massive Fae, "I'm surrounded by assholes. Sometimes I hate my life."

"Mom!"

Bo turned as she heard Lulu's voice. Two of the guards had grabbed her and pulled her back. The Succubus came forth as she watched her daughter being tossed into what appeared to be a dog crate.

Holding up the dagger in her hand, she threatened,

"Set. My. Daughter. Free." She paused, "Now!"

She turned towards the voice in the balcony, "Your daughter will be freed if you are the victor."

"And if I should die?"

Evony spoke, "As agreed, your daughter will become a ward of the Unaligned, be raised by your friend and be under the protection of the Valkyrie realm... on my blood honor."

Bo looked at Vex and Hale, "And them?"

Hale and Vex looked towards their respective elders before looking back at Bo.

Hale replied, "On my blood honor, the declaration of custody and protection will stand and be honored by the Light Fae."

Vex replied, "Despite my protests, on my blood honor, yadda, yadda, yadda."

"SAY IT!" Bo demanded.

"Fine, Succubus. On my blood honor, the declaration of custody and protection will stand and be honored by the Dark Fae as well."

Bo nodded, looking at Lulu with a smile.

"And if I should win?"

Hale replied, "Fight. Win and she will be yours once again."

"And we will be free to go?"

"You will be free to go, but required to check in with your clan leader weekly so we know of your actions and whereabouts. The Hunters seek you, so they will remain your responsibility."

Evony laughed, "Since the Light and Dark are too chicken shit to help you with your little problem, the Unaligned and Realm of the Valkyrie will assist in your protection provided you agree to work for justice on behalf of the Unaligned."

Bo knew she couldn't dodge the Hunters on her own forever. Having the help of the Valkyrie and a clan would be a good idea for Lulu and she needed to do right by her,

"No contract to sign? No membership card?" Bo asked.

Evony smiled, "Only your word, Succubus."

"You have my word." Bo replied.

"Mine too." Lulu yelled.

Bo turned towards her daughter with a smile, but her attention was pulled back to the sound of a thunderous banging. She turned to see a huge Fae slamming two iron hammers together while sticking out a tongue that looked much like that of a snake's.

"I don't suppose your name is Thor?"

The man did not respond, but rather took a swing at Bo with his hammer. She dodged the first swing and then rolled beneath the second. Dyson was right. This Fae was slow. Her speed was her best weapon. She could only hope that she would be able to get a single blow in with the dagger... a blow deep enough to penetrate his thick, muscular chest.

She continued to duck and dodge until finally, she had an idea. Paralyze him and then slit his throat. The skin was thinner there and less likely to break off the daggers. Rolling to the side and then sliding between his legs, she sliced the back of both knees before standing behind him and pulling both daggers in opposing directions across his throat. The Fae fell to the ground, dead.

Bo turned to look up at the balcony where half the crowd was now cheering. Hale and Vex did not seem happy, but Evony was smiling. She turned towards the sound of Lulu's voice to find her daughter pointing behind her,

"Watch out!" Lulu yelled, pointing at the Fae behind her Mom.

Bo turned and immediately noticed the glowing purple eyes of the being before her. She gripped the two hands hovering just before her face and whispered,

"I don't know what you were about to do, but as long as you've decided to wait, let me introduce you to my daughter. She's the one whose voice you hear in your head right now. If my guess is right, she's telling you a bedtime story I taught her. Listen to her words carefully."

Bo knew that the story she had taught her daughter to use would put anyone under her influence into a trance before putting them into a deep sleep. It allowed her daughter sufficient time to get away from any attacker, but she also knew it came at a price. Her daughter would be exhausted after using her influence at a distance. It was always easier for her if she influenced by touch. Bo was also sure Lulu had used her gift of foresight since she had stopped this Fae before he'd had a chance to lay a hand on her. She must have seen his power and known to stop him. The suction-cup finger tips were a good indication that he could have done some damage to Bo's mind.

But now, Bo's influence flowed through the being before her, combining the powers of Mother and Daughter to end this trial,

"You see, I know you were about to kill me so as much as I'd rather not kill you, being there for my daughter as she grows up is a priority for me. So how about you be a good little... whatever you are... and stop breathing... for good."

Bo watched as the Fae held his breath. Knowing he would simply pass out first, she began to suck his chi allowing the full feed to fill her just in case she and Lulu needed to fight their way out of here. She'd read about Blood Oaths, but the past few hours with these Fae had taught her one thing... trust no one.

As the man dropped at her feet, she stood over him, bloody daggers in hand staring up at the balcony filled with Fae, most of whom were cheering. She looked back down at the strange looking Fae, feeling bad that she had been forced to take the lives of two beings today. She closed her eyes and begged whatever Gods existed in this world for forgiveness.

Evony spoke, "You have won your trial and may now choose your clan."

Bo looked at Lulu as she spoke, "I choose Humans! I choose the Unaligned for me and my child!"

When Bo moved her eyes forward again, her jaw dropped as a collective gasp moved through the crowd. Standing before her were eight blonde women... each strikingly beautiful... with wings. Had she dreamt of winning the fight? Had she died and this was Succubus heaven?

"As the Dark and Light are about to breech their agreement, by order of Odin, God of the Valkyrie, and in agreement with Evony Marquis, leader of the Unaligned, we've come to protect the Succubus and her child. Challenge us at your own peril."

Bo followed the spokeswoman's eyes to peer up at the leaders of the Light and Dark who now stood whispering between each other. Her eyes glowed blue, her hands tightened their grip on the daggers as the room fell silent. She heard her daughter's voice,

"Momma!"

With a flick of her wrist, the dagger in her right hand was airborne, landing squarely in the forehead of the Fae who had reached into the crate to grab Lulu by the hair,

"I warned you what would happen if you touched my child again, Hale!"

Bo's hands went to her sides, her mouth opening towards the group of guards surrounding her daughter's crate before six streams of chi flowed into her mouth until they all dropped to the floor.

"Lulu!"

Bo watched as her daughter opened the lock she had picked soon after being placed in the cage and ran to her Mother's side. Bo lowered her eyes to the floor before looking back up at the leaders on the balcony, awaiting their next move,

Finally, the leader of the Dark spoke,

"This test has not concluded. You, Valkyrie, have no authority until the test has ended. Leave now to spare your own lives."

Evony interjected, "They are here on the authority of the Unaligned Clan. The test is two battles. Two battles have been won... three if you count the guards she just took out with a breath."

Evony's eyes held a warning of caution for the other leaders. She was older than both of them and had seen much in her time as leader of the Dark Fae before Doctor Lewis had turned her Human. No Succubus had ever demonstrated such power and she knew the two were doing exactly what she would have done as leader of the Dark... trying to gain control over that power for their own clan. Unfortunately, that power could never be controlled... that power belonged to its owner and she was not a fan of broken promises. Vex and Hale were treading in deep water and she knew they were on the verge of drowning if they played their cards wrong in the next several minutes.

"The child has not been tested." Vex replied.

Evony shook her head, "Vex, I'm sure I taught you better than this." She gave him a subtle shake of her head, warning him not to push this issue, "She is not of age for her choosing! She is under the protection of her Mother and the Unaligned Clan. Only the Mother was to enter her trial for her choosing. It was agreed."

"We decide who is to be tested." Vex replied, "You are but a Human."

Evony rolled her eyes at the Mesmer, "And under the agreement, Humans of the Unaligned Clan have rights! I am their appointed leader, Human or Fae."

She leaned over to Vex, "I swear I will melt your brains into nothing when I get my powers back if you push this issue right now. Did you see what she just did? You're an idiot if you push this, Mesmer. You are no match for her. Even I wouldn't challenge her with my full powers."

Hale ignored Evony's warning, "I agree with the Morrigan."

The lead Valkyrie laughed, "Oh my, my, my. You two are very good at inventing rules to suit your own desires. You force the Succubus to undergo a trial for her choosing that is no longer in use, now you wish to have her daughter – a Fabling who has not even entered her Dawning – take the same test? We think not."

"As we said, you are not Fae of this realm and have no authority here."

"Our authority comes from a higher power." The Valkyrie replied.

Hale spoke, "We do not believe in your deity. We recognize the laws of the Blood King."

The Valkyrie replied, "And according to those laws, every Fae is to be taught and trained in the ways of your race before they are given the test at their choosing. You've broken the Blood King's laws by forcing the Succubus to enter a physical trial despite receiving no such formal training. Now you wish to break that law yet again with a child who has not even hit Fae puberty? A child with no discernable powers?"

"That is not our concern." Vex replied, his voice clearly shaky now as he and Hale shared a nervous glance.

"You would break the laws of the Blood King you claim to honor? Clearly, both Mother and Child have not received the education granted a Fabling raised in a Fae community. We have seen the home where the Mother was raised. She was on her own, left to fend for herself, left to learn her own powers. It's amazing she has survived this long let alone protected a child through the first decade of life."

"ENOUGH!" Acacia's voice boomed through the arena, as she stepped forward from behind the Valkyrie at the front of the formation, "This one has passed your test and chosen to remain Unaligned. It's that simple. Now, you will honor your blood oath or face the consequences of breaking that oath... and may I remind you... blood oaths ARE within the authority of my realm!"

Vex and Hale exchanged a glance, knowing that breech of a blood oath would result in death. Neither knew exactly how that happened... no one really did... but they did know it was a power that did not come from a Fae of this realm.

"I will take your silence as permission to depart with our agreement intact." Acacia replied.

Placing a hand on Bo's shoulder, Acacia folded her wings around the Succubus and her child before nodding to her General who moved to disappear and reappear with Evony in tow. Then, the entire group vanished.

The leader of the Dark let out a scream of frustration as the crowd mumbled about what they'd just seen.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

Bo and Lulu wobbled a bit before the realization hit them that they were back in their cabin.

"How?"

Acacia gave her a wink, "Didn't those books teach you about Valkyrie and their wings?"

Bo scowled, rubbing the back of her stiff neck, before sliding Lulu off of her and onto the couch to check her color, "Thanks for getting us back home."

Acacia nodded as she watched the Succubus care for her daughter, her curiosity peaked, "I've never known anyone of your species to be so... caring."

Bo's head snapped up, "She's my daughter. Is it wrong for a Mother to love her child?"

Acacia put both hands up, "Relax, Succubus. It's just an observation. I knew your Mother."

"You knew Aoife?" Bo asked.

The Valkyrie nodded in reply, "Quite a force on the battlefield during the Great Fae War. A shame what happened to her."

"You know what happened to my Mother?"

Acacia nodded, "That's a story for later. Take care of your daughter for now. All will be revealed in time."

"Well, we don't have much, but what we have you and your soldiers are welcome to share."

"I've never known a Succubus to live in such... what do you call this? Shabby chic?" Evony snarked.

"We don't need more than what we have right here, Jimmy Choo." Bo snarked in reply, "You're welcome to leave if the accommodations are not worthy of your stature. Now if you don't mind, Lulu needs sleep. Using her powers takes quite a toll on her."

Bo lifted the little girl into her arms and pushed some chi into her mouth before pulling back to see if her color had improved. She smiled seeing Lulu's eyes open, a small smile forming on her face.

"There's my girl. Better?"

"Thanks, Momma."

"Thank you, Lulu. I didn't see that guy coming."

"I saved your ass, huh?" She smiled tiredly.

"You did, Lu. You certainly did. Now, how about some sleep?"

"I'm really hungry, Momma."

"No nap first?" Bo asked.

Lulu groaned, "Are we going home first?"

"We're already there, Lu. We hitched a ride with the Valkyrie, remember."

"We flew? They have wings, you know." She replied with sleepy excitement.

Bo laughed, "I've heard. Maybe next time you'll be awake for the flight."

"That'd be cool. Do you think Aunt Acacia would take me?"

Bo looked up at Acacia whose face twisted with discomfort at the term of affection, "I'm sure you can ask Aunt Acacia when you're feeling better. I'm sure she would take you if it's not against the rules."

"Momma, I'm really hungry. Can you give me a little more so I can eat?"

Bo didn't question her daughter's need, especially since she had taken the chi of eight Fae at the trial. She knew giving her more would likely have the child wired, but it was still early and she was sure they hadn't fed her all day in the dungeon. It only took a moment for the chi to take effect. She was scrambling from Bo's arms and off to the kitchen in a flash.

"Nice job, Mom." Acacia said, turning back to Bo.

"They locked her up. She was alone all day and I'm pretty sure they didn't feed her at all."

"You impress me, Succubus... giving up your chi to meet your daughters' needs. You're... different."

"Like I said... she's my daughter and I love her. I would give my life for her without a moment's hesitation." Bo replied.

"As would my soldiers... just in case you were wondering. They are sworn by sacred oath to protect the two of you. I just hope you can follow my lead so my girls won't sacrifice themselves in vain because you put them in a position to do so."

Bo sighed, "I'm not used to being a prisoner in my own home, but for now, I'll do as asked... within reason. We should talk about The Hunters. I know their pattern... what they'll do when they come."

"My girls have already taken care of the first wave. They have experience with their kind. This is not the first time they've come after the Fae."

"Can you tell me about them? About why they're always after us?" Bo asked.

"I can and I will... tomorrow we'll have a long talk. We have plans to make and there is much you and... just relax... eat. We'll talk about everything tomorrow."

Bo nodded, "Sorry, I'm just... well, the last forty-eight hours are a blur and it's a lot to take in... I just feeling like I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop. Someone was able to get to my daughter and they threw her in a dungeon and forced me to fight for our lives. They clearly want something from me... and her.

Evony sat down on the old chair in the corner, "Oh, honey they don't want anything from you. Their goal was your deaths. They wanted you unfed... and I mean completely unfed."

"So I would lose." Bo stated the question as fact and both women nodded in agreement, "Yea, well they screwed up because my Lolo sent Dyson to give me some of his chi, so at least the fighting part of me was fed."

Evony raised her eyebrows, "Dyson? He could be charged with treason for such an act."

"Well don't tell anyone!" Bo replied, not understanding why she would even have to remind her of that.

"Oh, slow your roll, Succubus. I won't dime out the Wolfman. I'm a fan of Team Lauren and he's part of her team. And now, we're all apparently on Team Bo."

"I suppose you're all hungry?" Bo asked.

Acacia shook her head, "My girls will all take care of their own needs, phasing in and out of this realm as needed while they take shifts to offer their protection to the Chosen One."

"Chosen One?" Bo asked.

Evony laughed, "You, Succubus. This is all because the Unaligned and the Valkyrie are convinced you are the Chosen One. The one who will lead the Fae against the Dark Armies to come."

"Dark armies? Vex and his goons?"

"No, child. Something much, much worse than Vex or anything in this plane."

"What then?" Bo asked.

"All in good time, Succubus. For now, take care of your child and get yourself settled again. For now, let's just worry about protecting these lands from The Hunters."

"Look, I know you said later, but I've been fighting them since my parents and grandfather died. How 'bout you tell me about the Hunters and I won't ask about my parents and this Chosen One stuff until tomorrow?" Bo asked.

Acacia nodded, "They are the minions of the Dark Lord."

"Voldemort?" Bo asked.

Acacia shook her head, "Harry Potter? Really?"

"Wow, I didn't know the Valkyrie read Human fiction."

The Valkyrie smirked, "I saw all of the movies as well. The books were much better."

Bo chuckled. Maybe this woman wasn't so bad. Maybe she might be worth trusting? Rainers words echoed through her memory causing her to push any thoughts of trust out of her mind. Instead, she asked,

"So who are they?"

"They are Humans under the influence of the Ancient Hades."

Bo shuddered, her eyes flashing blue.

"You know of him, then?" Acacia asked.

Bo looked up at Acacia, "I was told it was Hades who killed my parents and my grandfather. So he sent The Hunters after Rainer?"

Evony looked at Acacia who nodded, "Your time with Rainer triggered many events, Bo. The hand fasting ritual the two of you performed released The Hunters to do Hades bidding. The Hunters are looking for the three things needed to release Hades... something they will eventually achieve. And according to the prophecy, he will try to use you to rain hell down on earth. Your daughter and your old friend Lauren are somehow the key to preventing you from doing that. How they do that, we do not know. Do you know anything else about your ties to Hades?"

Bo shook her head, "Only that it was Hades who had something to do with the death of my Grandfather, Mom and Dad... well, that was what Rainer told me before the Hunters killed Rainer." Bo asked.

"Actually..." Acacia looked at Evony.

The leader of the Unaligned laughed, "Oh, this should be good."

"What?" Bo asked Evony who turned to Acacia leading Bo to ask again, "What?"

"Your grandfather and Mom are very much alive... and Bo... your Father... well, we think your Father is Hades."

"What?" Bo stared at the pair in disbelief as she slowly sat down on the stool by the fire, "That's not possible. My Father was Jack Dennis. My Mom was Aoife Dennis. They were killed in the mansion at the top of this mountain. It's why I never lived up there after... well, after... Kyle and..."

Acacia leaned against the fireplace mantle in front of the Succubus, "Look... I know this is a lot to take in. The man you knew as Jack Dennis was your Father... he played the role of good son-in-law while your grandfather was around, but when he and your Mother had a falling out, he left allowing your Father to do as he pleased. Your Mother knew you were in danger, so she sent you to the cabin to keep him from you while she worked with his brother Zeus to send him back to Hel. It was found that one of my sisters had assisted his arrival on this plane, but she is... no longer a problem. Bo, he cannot come back to this plane, unless his minions succeed in finding the three items before we do."

"And by his minions, you mean The Hunters." Bo said, flatly.

Acacia nodded, "The more of them there are, the less good and love that will exist in this plane. You've kept them at bay for a decade, but now there are too many. You need our help... you need the help of the Fae. The Chosen one is supposed to unite the power of all Fae and send the Hunters back to Hel."

"Okay... one question. How the Hel am I supposed to do that?" Bo asked leading Acacia to shrug in reply.

"We don't know that just yet, but we have a wise old man working on answers as well as your friend Doctor Lewis who is being brought up to speed on her role in the prophecy as we speak."

"Why do the Hunters come specifically for Lulu?"

Acacia shook her head, "They're coming for you because they believe you know where the three items are that they need to free Hades. They come for your daughter because she would be key in turning you to the darkness."

"Less love, more Hunters." Bo mused in a whisper.

"Yes. That is why I commented on your relationship with your daughter. My theory is that your heart is unique among others of your kind and if Hades truly is your Father, imagine the power of a heart that knows true love over the the other part of your biology. There must be a link."

Bo nodded, "If I'm born of Hades, I should have the heart of darkness, not a heart of love. Could I be one of the things they need?"

Acacia shrugged, "We don't know for sure, but listening to you now, I believe we are closer to a working theory. Three items... three hearts?"

"Mine, Lulu's... who is the third?"

"Mine."

Bo turned to see Lauren standing in the living room. She stood and turned to face her, "Lulu... I thought I told you I wasn't safe..."

Bo's eyes flashed blue, "Your aura... it's... different..."

Acacia placed a hand on the Succubus' shoulder, "Many changes are coming, Bo. The Doctor's presence is necessary and if we've truly found our working theory, she's likely correct... her heart would be the third... if not hers, then your friend Kenzi. Are they not the ones closest to your heart after your daughter?"

"Great." She sighed, slumping back onto the stool, "I get to put more people I love in danger."

"You have protection, Bo and I can protect myself." Lauren replied, her voice filled with conviction, "Like I said back at the lab... there are things you do not understand about my world... hell, there's things that I'm not sure about anymore."

She looked up at Acacia before looking back at Bo, "You won't hurt me, Bo... I'll help you with your control. You'll see... please... trust me."

Bo released a long breath, "Fine, but I swear Lulu, the first time I hurt you, you promise me you'll leave."

Lauren nodded, "That's a promise I will not need to keep."

"Promise me."

Lauren rolled her eyes, "I promise."

Lulu came into the living room, carrying a bowl of soup and a piece of bread. She handed Bo the food, but before she could climb into her lap, Bo leaned in and whispered in her ear. The little girl spun around to see Lauren standing not far from the door and ran to her, jumping into her arms,

"I told you I'd see you soon."

Lulu whispered in Lauren's ear, "I knew you'd come... I knew it. You're supposed to be with us. I'm sure of it."

Lauren smiled, lowering the girl to the floor, "Go on, eat your soup and bread before it gets cold."

Lulu smiled and ran back to Bo, "Don't be mean to her Momma."

Bo smiled, "I won't Lu."

"Promise?"

Looking up at Lauren, Bo replied, "I promise."

She held her daughter tightly as she ate, hoping against all hope that she would wake in her bed and the last forty-eight hours would have been a bad dream... that she wasn't this Chosen One, her Father wasn't Hades and she wasn't risking the life of the only person she'd ever really imagined loving.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

The next several hours had passed quickly while Bo and Lauren worked together to clean up the kitchen. Lauren had been amazed to learn that the entire house ran without power. The stove was a wood burning one, the refrigerator was nearly as old as the sundial and required ice to be kept cold. Lauren learned that Lulu and her Mom kept most of their food out in the barn during the winter since it would stay frozen in the sealed metal containers they kept there. They had no phone and no television. Lulu had told her that her Momma taught her that television rots a person's brain and family is all you really need... that you can't count on friends, so you don't need them. Her Momma had also taught her that everything she needed to learn in school she could learn right here at home from their books.

That was how Lauren had come to be sitting in the back room of the cabin... a room separate from the 'school' that Lulu had showed her on her previous visit. This room was packed from floor to ceiling with story books... enough books to allow a little girls' imagination to run wild with possibilities. Her eyes traveled the room while her mind was searching for a way to comprehend how this young girl was able to read to her a book of case studies about the strange happenings on her family lands. The book read like a fairy tale, but it also had a familiar ring that made Lauren's skin crawl... a very familiar ring that she couldn't quite place.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

It had been two days since Lauren had arrived at the cabin. She and Lulu continued to bond while Bo worked with the Valkyrie on defending their lands from the growing threat of The Hunters. For every dozen they killed, it seemed two more dozen came the next night.

Lauren learned quickly that Lulu loved to talk. She imagined spending nearly ten years with very few people to talk to, the little girl had a lot to share, so she endulged every conversation. Actually, if the truth were to be told, Lauren hadn't had this much fun in years. The conversation was light and had nothing to do with the coming danger or medical cases. For the first time in years, Lauren felt free and while she still worried about what the Light might do to her, her trust in Evony and Acacia was growing with each day. If they said she was free of her contract to the Light, she trusted she was although she knew she didn't quite believe it yet.

"Lauren? You okay?"

The blonde looked up to see Bo staring down at her.

"Sorry, just a little hypnotized by the fire, I guess." Lauren smiled holding her hands up towards the flame.

Bo smiled, "Did she drag you off to the tree house again?"

Lauren chuckled, "We had girls' afternoon lunch together."

The Succubus laughed, "Lulu, we're surrounded by women. Did you have to drag Doctor Lauren all the way to the tree house for lunch?"

Lulu nodded, "She told me she likes to go out for lunch when she's at home, but doesn't get to do it that often. Here, she can do it whenever she wants, so I took her out for lunch!"

Bo and Lauren struggled to hold back laughter as Bo explained, "Lu, she means go to a restaurant for lunch. She doesn't literally mean eat outside."

Lulu's face scrunched up in confusion, "Well, why didn't you just say so?"

Lauren smiled, "Well, you looked like you were having fun and I love the tree house, so I figured, why not?"

Lulu smiled, "See Momma? She liked having lunch out with me."

Bo smiled and mouthed a thank you to Lauren and smiled in return.

"So this box of... stuff. Are they..."

"Old computer and electronics parts, yes." Bo nodded.

"And..."

"Don't even both trying to guess. Computer parts, drone parts... if it's electronic, it's in there. She loves to build things. Of course, as you've learned, we live off the grid here and since everything is solar or manual, so she has to hook in her little solar cells or batteries to power up whatever she builds. You know, I cannot tell you how often I've thought of how much she reminds me of my genius childhood friend who graduated with my class despite being three years younger. You'd think she was your child rather than mine."

"So... about this daughter of yours..." Lauren stood, walking with Bo to the kitchen carrying the mugs they'd used for hot chocolate upon their return, "You and this Rainer were married?"

Bo shook her head, "No, no marriage. I mean, we did this hand-fastening ritual for Lulu's blood binding but it wasn't a full Fae marriage or anything."

"I see." Lauren replied, awkwardly as she watched Bo lower her eyes and focus intently on washing the mug in her hands. Lauren's eyes roamed the now familiar quaint cabin. Knowing that it was Bo's cabin somehow made her see it differently now. It was an open floor plan with a fireplace at the center and a loft that she'd now learned held their bedrooms. Like the stories Lulu had read to her, this place was like something from a fairy tale.

"So, it's been a couple of days. Do you like it here? I mean... I don't want you to feel like a prisoner and, well... compared to your lab I'm sure this place is like a junk yard, so..." Bo asked, nodding towards the space.

"It's beautiful, Izzy. I just don't remember this cabin ever being here."

Bo smiled, "I know it must be hard, but I do prefer Bo now if you don't mind."

"I'm sorry, but... well... you keep calling me Lolo and it just feels natural to call you Izzy in reply."

"Okay. Let's make each other a deal then. I call you Lauren and you call me Bo... we'll work on it, okay?"

Lauren smiled, "Sounds like a plan."

"So... Bo... I haven't seen you since... well, our kiss at Pike's Lake... senior year... Prom night?"

Bo blushed, "I do remember that. I just... I couldn't wait anymore. I'd wanted to do that so many times, gosh for so many years."

"Me too." Lauren confessed, nervously.

"Really?" Bo asked.

Lauren nodded in reply, watching as Bo turned off the water and dried her hands before leading her to the nearby kitchen table.

"And do you remember the conversation we had about your dream vacation cabin near the lake? You were going to be a doctor, cure the cancer that killed your brother when he was fifteen and make enough money to have three vacation homes... one on the biggest lake you could find."

Lauren's eyes went wide as the memory flooded back, "Oh my... this is it... exactly as I'd described it. You actually built it."

Bo smiled proudly, "I did. I needed a home for Lulu and... well... let's just say I keep a low profile. The McCorrigan Family land fell to me when my mother died, so with the small farm garden in the back during the warm months, the greenhouse year round and a lake full of fish, we pretty much live here unnoticed now. Since that night that Kyle died, I haven't been back to the mansion. There's a caretaker who I pay to check on it, but I don't go there."

"Did you say McCorrigan Family?" Lauren asked.

"That was my grandfather's family name. My Mom took my Dad's name, Dennis... well... that's if Hades actually has a last name."

"Oh... I didn't realize." Lauren replied, now wondering exactly what it was that Trick had been keeping from her. Sure McCorrigan was a common clan name, but could it really be just a coincidence?

"Yea, this is all pretty crazy, huh? I mean... if my father is really Hades and my Mom and Grandfather are really alive... I mean... what does it all mean, Lauren?"

"I don't know, Bo but I do know that I will be with you ever step of the way." The blonde smiled, laying a hand atop her friend's before looking up to see her eyes glowing blue, "Time for another injection?"

Bo shook her head, "No, I'm good. Thanks."

"Your control is improving." Lauren replied, "You've been doing great in our tests so far and... well, I was thinking that maybe a test drive in the real world would be appropriate?"

"You mean go out? Around other people?" Bo asked, the panic resonating in her voice.

"Bo, trust me. You're ready."

"I don't know, Lauren."

"Bo, why are you so afraid? I'll be right there with you." Lauren insisted.

The brunette closed her eyes for a long moment. When she opened them again, she looked up at the blonde,

"I killed a boy... and then I... what... I ran. His poor family never knew what happened to him. This town never knew what happened to him and it cast another shadow over these lands."

"You don't have to explain if you don't..."

"No, it's okay. The night that Kyle died, I... well... I woke up in his van and he was... dead. I... I ran... I didn't know what happened and I was afraid... I..."

"You were scared. You didn't know what was happening to you." Lauren replied.

Bo nodded, "My parents hadn't told me. I mean... I'd seen my Mother feed, but they'd never talked about what would happen to me. She said they didn't know what I would be... that my grandfather's blood was powerful and so was my dad's. I had the books that Lulu has now, but as you know, I wasn't a real big fan of reading. Honestly, most of what I know I learned from Lulu."

Lauren smiled, "I guess your Mom thought your Dad's traits would be the dominant ones."

Bo nodded, "It's why she kept me on such a tight leash. It's why she always said I had the devil in me when I misbehaved. I thought it was some strange religion and here it was because my Dad was the King of Hel."

"Well, I think that it's time you returned to the light, Bo. You're ready to return to the real world."

Bo shook her head, "Can you imagine the people of our town seeing me again? They think I'm dead... or worse, Kyle's murderer... which is actually true. I'm pretty sure I'd be lynched."

Lauren shook her head, "The Fae can give you a cover story for all of that, Bo. You can't stay isolated like this... continuing to live alone. What about Izzy? Don't you want her to have friends?"

"She has you and the Valkyrie now." Bo replied.

"And I've got a Kenzi." Lulu said as she jumped up onto her chair and put a remote control on the table, "Drones ready, Momma."

"Thanks, sweetie. You're the best." She smiled, kissing the youngster on the head before placing a bowl of soup and a piece of bread in front of her, "And don't pick out the carrots. They're good for you."

"I like them crunchy, not mushy. My soup is better."

Bo laughed, "Your soup is like water with raw vegetables in it."

Lulu scowled, "I like it that way."

Bo shook her head, placing the girls' napkin on her lap, "Manners. Well, it's soup. It's supposed to be hot and vegetables get mushy when they get hot."

Lauren smiled, "What's a Kenzi?" she asked Lulu.

Lulu wiped her mouth, replacing her napkin on her lap as she replied, "Kenzi is Momma's best friend. You met her at that place where that old bald man was. Wanna know how my Momma met her?" She looked at Bo, "Can I tell?"

Bo nodded, "At the risk of having our guest worry she is in even more dangerous company than she already knows, yes."

"Mom found Kenzi when she was pickpocketing a guy in a bar. The guy tried to roofie her, but my Mom saved her."

"Wow. Your Mom the hero."

Lulu shook her head, "Nah. My Mom was just doing the sucky thing. It's no big deal."

"LULU!" Bo scolded.

"What, Mom?"

"You know we don't talk about... that!"

"Sorry." Lulu sank a little lower into her seat, looking at her Mom, then Lauren before finding her soup to be the most interesting thing in the room.

"Your sucky thing?" Lauren asked.

"I killed the guy, Lauren. When Kenzi tells the story, she says I sucked the life out of the guy... that's all. I didn't mean to do it... it just... we were in an elevator and... well, she was almost unconscious and was trying to... well, think scum bag and drugged girl and you get the picture. I just... I reacted to the situation a young girl was in and suddenly, he was dead."

"I'm not judging Bo. I'm just glad you're not in jail."

"I... I left the scene... I know, I know... I'm a fugitive from justice, but... well, I can't be in jail. What would happen to Lulu?"

Lauren nodded, "I get it, Bo. What happened with the case?"

Bo shrugged, "I don't know. It happened in Toronto, so I came here."

"You would probably have been better off fleeing to the states."

"Wait. You're encouraging me to evade capture?"

Lauren sighed, "Let's just say that my view of what is fair and just has... changed since high school."

"Speaking of... what have you been doing? Why have we not heard about the great Doctor Lauren Lewis?"

"Uh... maybe because you're living off the grid?"

Bo smirked, "Ha. Ha. So... come on... are you really a doctor?"

Lauren nodded, "I am... graduated from Yale, top of my class with a lot of great offers. I was part of a research group in the Congo and... well... While I was there, I cured a plague and was given... let's just say an offer I couldn't refuse. I took the job and have been working just outside of Toronto ever since."

"I was told you were a slave to the Light. What does that mean, Lauren?"

Lauren smiled, looking down at where Bo's hand now lay atop her own. The touch was warm... firm, yet gentle... just like she remembered it. She looked up at her old friend, then at her little girl who was looking at her expectantly,

"You know about the sides, right?"

Bo nodded.

"Well, there were several events that I was... instrumental... in solving. The Fae declared me their "champion" and created a joint task force between the sides... and put me in charge. That gave me a seat on the council and... well, I recommended they try having a third clan of people who chose not to align with light or dark. They agreed to it on a trial basis."

"Why would they do that? It seems to me they're really into this two team power trip. At least that's the vibe I got from those two guys Hale and Vex."

"Yea, well Hale is on a power trip, Vex just gets scared sometimes. He's actually a good guy and part of my team."

"Well, the jury is still out on that one."

"To answer your question, they agreed because I showed them the numbers of how their current methods were going to lead to their extinction unless they made some changes. They agreed as a population control method, particularly for rare species of Fae such as Mesmer's like Vex."

"Apparently I'm a rarity as well."

Lauren smiled, "You are definitely rare."

"Momma, I'm tired now."

Bo smiled at her daughter before turning to Lauren, "Her sleep schedule is a mess."

Lauren nodded, "Well, she hasn't exactly had a normal week."

"Do you need to feed?" Bo asked.

"Just a little." Lulu replied.

Bo leaned down and pushed a small amount of chi into her daughter, "Okay?"

"Mmmm. Goodnight, Momma." She gave her Mom a hug, then looked at Lauren, "Is it okay if I hug you goodnight?"

"Of course, Lulu." Lauren replied, standing to give the youngster a hug before saying their goodnights.

With that, Lulu ran off to her room, a Valkyrie giving Bo a nod that she would be standing guard outside of her room.

"I don't think I'll get used to that any time soon." Bo whispered.

"It's only temporary, Bo."

"Solders living in and around my house? Constant battles taking place on my lands? Who knows how many Hunters are out there now or how many Valkyrie have given their lives for us. I don't like just sitting here, Lauren. I want to do something."

"Well, Trick is working on the research and..."

"Lauren, who is this Trick guy?"

The blonde looked up at Acacia who was sitting by the windows. The Valkyrie gave her a shake of the head before looking back out into the darkness of the woods.

"He's a friend and a mentor who is very old and has a great deal of knowledge about the Fae. If anyone can solve this, it's him."

Bo nodded, "Maybe we should head down to Lulu's school tomorrow and pull out some of the old books I was supposed to read as a child."

Truthfully, Lauren was excited at the thought of diving into some research. As much as she enjoyed the break from the Light Fae, she was still a doctor at heart and her need to help Bo and her daughter right now were always at the top of her to do list.

"I'd be happy to help. I'm sure one of the Valkyrie can keep Lulu occupied tomorrow."

Bo shrugged, "Actually, Evony agreed to spend some time with her to try to figure out exactly what type of Fae she is. I wanted to ask you... do you trust her?"

Lauren rolled her eyes, "Well, considering I'm the one who turned Evony Human because I was worried that she was going to try to kill Trick, I'd say I'm much more trusting of her now that she's Human than I was when she was Fae."

"You turned her into a Human?"

Lauren nodded.

"How?"

"It's probably better that you not know... a lot of sciency stuff went into it."

"Could you make me Human?"

"Bo, I would never do that. Being Fae is who you are."

"Yea, well, I'm a killing machine and being Human would certainly fix that."

Lauren shook her head, "Bo, you are a perfect specimen of your kind. There is nothing wrong with you other than the fact that your parents did not afford you the education you should have had. They obviously felt that keeping you in the dark about your origins was the way to protect you, but now that decision is coming back to haunt you. We'll figure it out, you'll learn your control and you will find that being Fae will be something you will come to enjoy."

Bo groaned, "My entire life is about this constant urge to have sex, Lauren. Who else has to talk about stuff like that?"

Lauren blushed, "Well, look at it this way. When you finally do meet someone you can fall in love with, your sex life will be fabulous."

Bo frowned, taking a breath before she spoke, but instead changed the course of the conversation, "Well, I think I'm going to turn in early as well."

Lauren smiled, "Me too. Are you sure you're okay? I mean... do you need to feed?"

Bo lowered her eyes and shook her head, "I'm okay."

Lauren nodded, "Bo, as a physician I just want to say that your control would improve if you would allow yourself to have full feeds. Just sucking chi is likely insufficient to keep you healthy."

Bo looked up at the blonde, clearly struggling with how to respond. Instead, she just leaned forward and kissed Lauren on the cheek,

"What do you say you take my bed tonight? You've slept on that blow up mattress in front of the fire for two nights now. Your back must be killing you."

"No, I'll take the space in front of the fire. It's warm here and I like the crackling sound. It relaxes me. Honestly, I haven't slept this well in two years."

"Lauren, you're not sleeping on the floor for two nights. You can share my bed."

"Bo, I don't want to put you out."

"It's no bother, LoLo. We slept in much closer quarters most of our lives." Bo smiled.

"True, but you have to promise me that if I agree to the bed, you'll agree that we spend at least a few hours by Pike Lake."

"It's freezing out!" Bo countered.

"I know, but... I originally came here to see the lake. I just want to see it."

"You haven't seen your parents?"

Lauren shook her head, "That's... well... no. I haven't seen them since my college graduation, actually."

"Why not? I mean... it's not like your parents were ever warm and fuzzy to you, but estranged was something I would never have expected."

"Well, I don't need them, their money, their lifestyle or their friends."

"Lauren, I wasn't insinuating..."

The blonde shook her head, "I'm sorry, Bo. I know you weren't trying to. Look... I just... well, when I came out to my parents, they were not happy about how that would look to their friends. They're important people, after all. Having a daughter who saw women as romantic option didn't quite fit the image."

"You're a lesbian?"

"I just believe that love is love, Bo. I won't label myself. Besides, I thought you said you remembered the kiss and that one in my lab..."

"Well, it could have just been experimentation when we were younger and... well, I didn't really give you an option the other day. Sorry about that." Bo rationalized.

"I didn't pull away and if you have a problem with my lifestyle, I can take the hearth to sleep and be out of your house in the morning." Lauren frowned.

"No, Lauren. I didn't mean... I mean... look... I have had my share of relationships with women and obviously Lulu was conceived.. well, you get the picture. I don't care who you love... well... that's not really true... I mean... It's actually... well, look... never mind, okay? So... the lake, huh?"

Lauren nodded, "I had some vacation time and wanted to come to the lake. I've always loved it here. Some of my best memories are here. You and Kyle were everything to me. I'm sorry to bring him up again."

"No, it's okay. We were The Three Musketeers. I know what you mean. Hey... we should go to the tree house together."

"I'm sorry about your Mom... wherever she is."

Bo shook her head, "I'm not, honestly. She'd lost it, Lauren. She was paranoid and had gotten really hard to handle. They said she'd died in the fire set by The Hunters. They never found the person who set it. Mom swore people were watching her, but people in town had also claimed she was the devil... that she was a witch. The fire was declared arson with the motive being something along the lines of the Salem Witch Trials... they just couldn't find the person who set it. It took half of the mansion down. It was rebuilt... their lawyers... apparently that part is like new and unfurnished. They'd left it for me to deal with and I never went back. I don't know if the caretaker did anything with it or not. For all I know, they could be having parties there or living there. I literally never check."

Lauren could see that Bo was pushing down any emotion she felt about her mother's demise. She decided not to push the topic.

"I'm sorry you've had to deal with that, Bo."

The brunette nodded, "I've got all I need right here with my little one."

"She really is beautiful, Bo."

She watched as her friend looked up at the door to her daughter's room, "She is, isn't' she."

There was a loud noise outside and then voices. Lauren looked towards the door and then back up towards the balcony where Lulu was standing her eyes glowing purple,

"Momma!"

"Valkyrie! GO! Take Lauren and Lulu. No one gets to them!"

The blonde soldier nodded, lifting Lulu into her arms and carrying her to the center of the cabin. Throwing back the rug, she opened the trap door in the floor,

"Dr. Lewis." The Valkyrie insisted.

Lauren turned to look at Bo whose back was to her, "Bo?"

The brunette walked to a black chest, unlocked it and pulled it open, revealing a large array of weapons. Pulling out two short swords, she moved towards the door.

"Momma?" Lulu asked.

Bo did not turn, but replied firmly, "I said GO!"

Lulu ran to Lauren's side, gripping her hand and pulling, but Lauren held her ground, "Bo?"

Bo spun quickly to face her, her posture menacing. This was a woman protecting her home... her child. Lauren eyes traveled up the strong body of the woman until she met her eyes. Her jaw dropped as she stared into glowing blue orbs,

"GO! NOW!"

Reluctantly, Lauren turned and followed Lulu to the center of the living room and slid through the open trap door. The Valkyrie all but pushed Lauren down the stairway before pulling the carpet over her head before sliding the piece of flooring back in place and quietly slipping down the stairs. Lulu moved to Lauren and cracked open a glow stick necklace. Putting it around her neck, she then cracked one open and did the same for Lauren.

"We have to be really quiet and we don't go upstairs until Momma tells us we can. Okay?"

Lauren nodded, "Okay."

"Momma's gonna do her sucky thing and then we'll be safe." She whispered.

"Safe from what?"

"The Hunters are here?"

The two looked up at the floor above when they heard the men enter the house. They heard gunfire, the clanging of swords and then some moaning before several thuds. They heard the door open and then the sound of grunts and groans.

"She's cleaning everything up. She doesn't like me to see what she does to the Hunters."

Lauren nodded in response to Lulu's comment. This was no way for them to live.

The pair squinted as light funneled into the small space when the trap door slid open some time later. Lauren followed Lulu up the steps and watched as she jumped into Bo's arms. The brunette held onto her like a lifeline, looking over her daughter's shoulders at Lauren with tear-filled eyes. She carried Lulu up the spiral staircase to the loft and entered the room that the blonde knew was the youngsters' bedroom. Heaving a sigh, she picked up the items that had apparently fallen off of shelves before eyeing the two bloody short swords by the door.

"She went down quickly. Usually does after they come." She turned towards the Valkyrie, "I've got this. Go check on your sisters. I'd like to know how they got through."

Bo turned back to Lauren who was staring at the bloody swords.

She grabbed a towel from the kitchen and began wiping down one blade, then the other as she spoke,

"We should be safe for now." Bo said, standing to tuck the cleaned swords back in place."

Lauren nodded towards the box, "That's quite a weapons collection you have there."

"Well, a girl can never have enough weapons to defend her child."

Lauren smiled, "So, these Hunters... do they ever talk to you, Bo?"

Bo shrugged, "They call me the Anointed One and Lulu my offspring. They talk about needing to draw my blood. To me, they sound like someone hit rewind and play when they speak... same shit, different day every time. They just look like a bunch of dudes dressed alike who want to kill me."

Lauren nodded, "Well, let's try to get some sleep."

Bo sheathed her swords, hung them in the case and slowly closed the doors, her fingers tracing the latch for a long moment before she turned to Lauren,

"I don't want you to sleep down here tonight, Lauren. I can't protect you down here."

"Well, it looked to me like you have an advanced warning system."

Bo nodded, "She inherited her Father's gift of foresight... among other talents. Rainer only had a few seconds of advanced notice. Somehow, she has a few minutes. She also seems to be able to sense emotions... especially anger, sadness or grief."

"Dark emotions for the granddaughter of the Dark King?" Lauren asked.

Bo shrugged, "It's all making much more sense now."

"I'll be fine down here."

Bo nodded, "Are you... afraid... of me?"

"You've expressed concern about your control. I'm merely keeping my distance as you requested. I don't want to make things harder on you, Bo."

"And if my control was better... would you..."

Lauren blushed, "Let's just say things would be much different."

The two stood staring at the floor for a moment before Lauren added, "I still think you have enough control, Bo. A trial run in the real world would tell us for sure... or a trial run here."

Bo nodded before looking up to offer the blonde a smile, "Good night, Lauren."

"Good night, Bo."

The blonde watched as her friend retired to her room, the Valkyrie entering the home with two of her sisters, all three taking up posts at the two entrances to the home and the space between Bo and Lulu's rooms. She smiled, feeling safer already.

Heading into the kitchen, she washed her face and brushed her teeth, before ducking into the broom closet to change into a T-shirt and shorts for sleeping. She'd grown accustomed to life without most of her clothes and material possessions, understanding to some extent, the way Bo had chosen to live her life. Somehow everything here seemed... simple. Of course, not having to answer to a 'higher power' on a regular basis didn't hurt.

She pulled out the air mattress from beneath the floor storage cubby and used the foot pump to inflate it to what she'd learned was the perfect firmness, then pulled out her sheets and blankets before settling in to get comfortable. She stared at the crackling fire, memories of the day dancing in her head as her breathing settled into a slow, steady rhythm.

A soft hand touched her skin... a touch that startled her for only a moment before she recognized the familiar scent of vanilla that was undeniably Bo surround her senses. She felt the mattress dip and a body settle in behind hers,

"Mind a big spoon?"

Lauren smiled, "I thought you'd never ask."

A strong arm settled across her body, a hand coming to rest in hers, before fingers mingled together and settled against Lauren's upper chest.

"You make me feel things, Lauren... things I've never felt with anyone but you. It's confusing and exciting and... well, I'm me and... that makes me nervous but... I want to be more for you."

Hearing her friend's words sent chills down Lauren's spine and tears into her eyes, "I trust you, Bo. I don't believe you would ever hurt me."

"I never want to, Lauren... and that's what scares me. I don't trust myself... not yet, anyway. I just... I want you to know up front that I would never think of you as food. That's not what holding you like this means to me. I just need you to know... that's why I ran from your clinic the other day."

"I think I understand now, Bo. Just promise me that you won't run again. Promise me that you'll talk to me and try to see what these feelings can mean for us."

Bo smiled, pulling Lauren closer, "I've waited too long not to try now. I want to try, Lauren... just... help me, okay?"

"I will, Bo. I will."

The pair lay there in the comfort of one another's arms, each staring at the fire enjoying the feel of the warmth and love conveyed through the embrace. It was a long while later when Bo finally spoke,

"I'm still wondering if this is all a dream. If it is, I hope I never wake up."

Lauren looked over her shoulder at Bo, her cheek meeting the brunette's lips, "I assure you, that this is no dream, Bo Dennis. Your Lolo is here in your arms and for the first time in her life, she feels like she's home."

Lauren's lips found Bo's for a short, but sweet kiss. Pulling back, she saw blue eyes and smiled, "Hello, Succubus. Be careful with me... I'm your fragile Human."

Bo's eyes shifted back to brown and Lauren could see the fear there. She gave the brunette a soft smile before turning her head away. Bo sighed, pulling her tight, her legs tucking up closer to the blonde's,

"I think I've always loved you, Lo."

"And I've never stopped loving you, Izzy. I don't think I could if I tried."

"You never had any other lovers?"

"I've had lovers, but only one serious relationship. A woman named Nadia. She got wrapped up in my enslavement to the Fae. She was cursed, possessed and killed."

Bo shifted to hover over the blonde, "Lauren, I'm so sorry. I had no idea. That's terrible."

The blonde turned into the brunette, tucking her head beneath her chin so as not to tempt her to feed. Once settled there, she replied,

"It was. I suppose I'll always blame the Ash who enslaved me, but then again, if my people were dying of a plague, I would probably do whatever it took to save them as well."

"You're her."

"Who?" Lauren asked, looking up at Bo.

"The Human Doctor who saved the Fae. Kenzi told me about it after she over heard these guys talking about it in a Fae bar I use to feed."

"Wow. I'm famous." Lauren said sarcastically.

"Actually, you are. But still, your girlfriend..."

"Nadia was her name. She was a photographer. She had the most beautiful smile. What she went through before... well, her death brought her a peace she would never have known again."

"I'm sorry. Hearing things like that makes me believe I've been right in keeping Lulu away from the Fae."

"I suppose it has its benefits."

"I know you don't agree..."

"Hey... I told you. Not judging. I just want to make sure you're considering all sides and not sticking to the status quo just because it's the status quo. You have other choices now... or you will. I just want you to keep an open mind, but again... the choice is yours. She's your daughter and I have no say in the matter."

"Other than the fact that I appreciate your opinion. I think I've just been alone for so long that I haven't been used to hearing other people's points of view. You're right that I need to be open to new ideas even if I don't adopt them as my own."

The two lay silently, Lauren listening to the beat of Bo's heart beneath her chest while Bo drew lazy circles on Lauren's shoulder.

"Do you mind if I lay on my back?"

"Is it hard for you? Holding me like this? I can turn away again."

Bo shook her head, "I'm surprisingly fine. I just... I have this instinct... I can't help it but I want to be able to get free of you if I have to... get to the door."

"Ah, ever the protector." Lauren chuckled.

"I've spent a lot of years defending this home and my child. I actually used to sleep sword in hand leaning against the front door with her in a crib in the panic room. I still wonder if she remembers being locked below the house. She says she doesn't, but I worry about how much I've scarred her for life."

"She's very well adjusted for someone who has lived the life she's lived."

"Is that your professional opinion?"

Lauren smiled, "Sorry, sometimes it's hard for me to turn the Doctor off. I lived a professional life 24/7 for almost a solid decade. Never being off duty changes you. I'm still having a hard time believing Hale's men aren't going to show up, bust down your door, grab me and throw me into the back of a van... followed by the usual two week stay in the dungeon before I'm reprimanded and sent back to my full days shifts again."

"I'm so sorry, Lauren. If I'd have known, I would have come for you."

"Well, you didn't know. Of course, you might have if you hadn't... sorry... forget it."

"No, you must have something to say that you haven't. Please. Get it off your chest."

"I was mad at you for a very long time, Bo. You left me to handle everything on my own... Kyle's funeral, all of the accusations about my best friend, kids at school and... you two were my only friends. You left me alone. I withdrew and... well, it wasn't until about five years ago or so that I finally started to speak up again. I'm a work in progress, as they say."

Bo smiled, "Aren't we all?"

"I suppose so." Lauren laughed as Bo rolled onto her back, pulling her with her.

"I'm truly sorry, Lolo. I... I used to sneak out and climb the tree outside of your bedroom window. I used to watch you sleep. It helped me... keep what was left of the Human part of me."

Lauren propped herself up, her head tilted to the side, as she looked down at Bo, "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you."

"I'm sorry I didn't trust you with my secrets."

Bo could feel her pulse quicken as Lauren's aura brightened, "Lulu is right. Your aura is the color of the rainbow."

"My aura?" Lauren asked.

"Succubi... we read sexual energy in the form of an aura. Most people just burn a bright solid color, but yours... it's different, just like Lulu said. I hadn't noticed it at the time... I just knew I was drawn to it."

"And should I be worried now?"

Bo scowled, "You are not food. You are for loving, not feeding."

She looked up at Lauren, "It seems like if I remind myself of that, my Succubus respects it and I don't feel as hungry."

Lauren smiled and settled down on Bo's chest again, draping one arm across her waist and insinuating her top leg between Bo's thighs,

"Okay like this?"

"Definitely." She sighed, taking Lauren's hand and pulling it to her lips before holding it to her chest, "You should try to get some sleep. Lulu tells me you're making her banana pancakes tomorrow morning."

"Yes I am." Lauren replied with a chuckle.

"She's always up early for pancakes and... strangely enough, whenever I make them, Kenzi shows up too. I think she's secretly Fae and pancake sniffing is her power."

Lauren laughed, "Well, I'll be sure to make enough for Kenzi as well."

"Nothing is ever enough for Kenzi. You'd need an entire banana tree for that girl."

"I'll keep that in mind. Bo's best friend eats a lot."

"Understatement." Bo replied.

She looked down at Lauren and placed two fingers beneath her chin, lifting her lips to meet her own. The kiss deepened, tongues swirling gently for several moments before Bo pulled away with a small sliver of blue chi.

"Sorry."

"Ysabeau Dennis, don't you dare ruin that moment for me. I've wanted to kiss you like that since high school."

"Lauren..."

The blonde sat up, staring the Succubus squarely in the eyes, "I said no. Besides, you stopped yourself."

Bo sat up, smiling brightly, "I stopped myself. I actually stopped myself! I've never stopped myself before!"

"What?" Lauren asked.

"I've never stopped myself before! Maybe I just needed to care about the person enough. The minute that I started to feed... I just knew that I had to stop, so... I did."

"Well, congratulations to us both then."

"Lauren, we shouldn't push our luck."

"No, Bo. We don't make all of this progress and then pull away. I won't let you."

"But Lauren..."

"No. Don't you dare do that! You will not hurt me. You have to trust yourself, Bo."

Bo sighed, lying back down, "Okay."

"Okay?"

"Okay. You know, it's nice to see that my Lolo can still kick my ass when I need it."

"Well, I always was good for your ass." Lauren smirked.

"I can hardly wait to see what other things you can do to my ass." The Succubus replied.

"Why Bo Dennis, are you getting your flirt on?"

"What can I say, you bring out the flirt in me." Bo laughed, "You tasted really good."

"Bo, I wouldn't mind if you fed from me." Lauren offered.

"I wouldn't trust myself to stop, Lo."

"Progress has been made, now we just have to keep trying. Eventually, you will train yourself to stop. You've spent years feeding at will, Bo. Your Dawning should have helped you get control."

"Oh, believe me, I'm much more in control now than I was. It just seems like... since the Hunters showed up, it's harder to control."

"Your Father's energy runs through them. That would make sense that you would be more powerful."

"I don't like that he can control me."

"He can't control you if you focus on love if our theories are correct. His power comes from death and hatred, Bo. Yours comes from a pure, kind heart that protects the weak and brings justice to those who are wrong... it always has."

"Are you going to mock me because I started a petition to save the sharks and sea turtles in the aquarium?"

"Oh, sweetie, there are so many other things I could mock you for, but no... I won't. As outrageous as some of those things were, your heart was always in the best place possible. You've always been a protector, Bo. I'm not surprised at all that you are the Chosen One."

Bo frowned, "Can I tell you a secret?"

"Always. You know I'll keep it."

"I'm scared, Lolo. I'm scared for me, for Lulu and I'm scared for you. If we are the three things the Hunters seek... how will I keep them from achieving their goal?"

"You just will. Remember... love is the most powerful force on earth. They exist in a different plane that has no love... it's how Hades can exist there but not here. They will always be weaker from you if you focus on that love."

Bo wondered if using angry Valkyrie was the best way to combat the Hunters. She'd have to sleep on that idea and talk to Acacia about it in the morning.

"Focus on love. I think I can do that." Bo smiled, running her fingers down Lauren's cheek, thumbing her lips before wrapping her fingers behind her neck and puling her gently to her waiting lips. A single soft kiss later, Lauren settled back down on Bo's chest.

"You're afraid again." Lauren replied.

Bo nodded, "I just..."

"You just need practice." Lauren smiled.

"Well, I certainly don't mind practicing with you."

"Well, I certainly don't mind being your personal assistant." Lauren laughed, lowering her lips to Bo's for a quick kiss, "And honestly, that small pull of chi felt... well... it's embarrassing but it... well... turned me on... if you know what I mean."

Bo smiled, "That's why Succubi kill. Our feed is like an aphrodisiac."

Lauren's face became serious, "The feed signature of the Incubus I treated... all of his victims died with a smile on their faces."

"Wow... full on Doctor mode. I must be losing my mojo."

Lauren shook out her thoughts and laughed, "I assure you that your mojo is firmly intact. Unfortunately, so is my geek mode. I guess I have to work on my control as well."

Bo laughed, "I love your geek mode... always have."

"Yea, especially when I was helping you study for Biology."

"And Health class. Don't forget health class."

"Ah, now I see. You wanted to try mouth-to-mouth on me before you took your CPR test."

"Guilty." Bo replied with a smile and a blush.

"That's adorable." Lauren replied laying her head back on Bo's chest.

They were silent for a while before Bo said, "I think I'm not done making out with you yet."

Lauren lifted her head with a smile, "Really?"

Bo smiled, "I think I want to try. Just please be careful how high you lift that leg."

Lauren laughed as she moved in to kiss the Succubus, "I make no promises."

Bo squealed as the blonde poked her ribs before deepening the first kiss of many they would share before falling asleep sometime later wrapped tightly in each other's arms.

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	3. Chapter 3: The Changeling

_**A/N:**_ _Hi Everyone! I just wanted to say thank you so much for the reviews. I didn't have a chance to reply to many of them, but please know that I read every single one, really think about them – especially the long, more detailed ones – and try to enhance my approach to the story to improve its presentation. The storyline is what it is... a bit of canon mixed in with a bit of AU. Again, I'm so sorry it took so long to get back to this story, but like so many of us, work was kicking my butt! This is a bit of a shorter chapter for me, but I wanted to keep this going to answer some of the many questions floating in your minds and reviews. This will shed a little more light on things! Best wishes and shout out to the Mother of the Groom! I hope the dream wedding at the Castle was all you hoped it would be! Cuddles_

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 _ **Chapter 3: The Changeling**_

"Momma... Momma..." Lulu whispered in Bo's ear while tapping her shoulder insistently, "Momma."

Bo opened her eyes to see her daughter's bright eyes staring back at her, "Momma, did you and Doctor Lauren have a sleep over?"

Bo panicked, quickly rolling away from Lulu towards the fire, exhaling only when she saw the steady rise and fall of Lauren's chest, "Alive. She's... she's still alive."

She smiled, noting the tiny bumps on the blonde's arms. She turned back to Lulu, "Can you grab the blanket from the chair? It looks like Doctor Lauren is cold and we wouldn't want her to get sick."

Lulu ran to the chair, climbing up with some effort before pulling the blanket down and taking over to her Momma,

"I'll do it... can I do it?"

Bo smiled, "Sure Lu, just try not to wake her."

"Can I practice?" She asked.

Bo looked over her shoulder, turning back when her daughter spoke, "They're all outside already. They were having some big meeting out back. I peeked out the window. Aunt Acacia was pointing at a big map and talking a lot. She sure does wave her hands around a lot when she talks. If I did that, I'd be throwing things everywhere. So can I? It's just us."

Bo nodded, "Yes, but be careful not to cover her head." Bo added, giving her daughter's ribs a poke.

Lulu giggled, quietly before laying the blanket out on the floor, then holding her hands out over the ends. Bo watched as her daughter's eyes glowed purple for a long moment, her face twisting with concentration before she flipped her hands palm-side up and raised them slowly.

The proud Mother smiled, as the blanket seemed to float in the air, traveling the distance from the floor to the blonde's body before softly coming to rest over her body. She steadied the little girl who wobbled a bit under the strain of using her powers, and then fell into Bo's arms,

"Did I do good?"

"A picture perfect landing. Well done." She brushed her finger over the tip of her daughter's nose, "Now, open wide."

Lulu opened her mouth, allowing Bo to push some chi into her until she cut off the feed and pulled her onto the mattress, laying her gently next to Lauren, and then cuddling into her on the other side.

"Now rest. We'll have breakfast in a little while."

"Momma, will using my powers always make me tired?"

"We've talked about this Lu. Once you get a little older, you'll feed for yourself like I do and you won't get so tired when you use them. You'll always have to replenish yourself, but you'll eventually learn to feed for yourself like I do."

"But I don't want to kill people." Lulu replied quietly.

"I'll teach you, Lu. You'll learn how to stop just like Doctor Lauren taught me how to stop. You won't be a killed, Lulu. I promise you. You'll learn a better way like I'm learning now."

Bo slid the youngster under Lauren's blanket and watched as she fell asleep before closing her eyes and allowing herself to fall off for a little while longer.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

"Momma... Momma..." Lulu whispered in Bo's ear while tapping her shoulder insistently, "Momma."

Bo groaned before opening her eyes to see a pair of bright smiling eyes staring back at her. She chuckled,

"Deja you!" she tickled her daughter who giggled loud and hard, "Shhh.. you'll wake the Doctor."

"Momma, she's already awake! Don't you smell it? She made us pancakes! With blueberries or strawberries right from our greenhouse!"

"Wow, that sounds super yummy! I'm gonna go to the bathroom and freshen up. Meet you in the kitchen?"

Lulu nodded excitedly and ran off to the kitchen area. Bo stood, pulling the sheets and blankets from the mattress before folding them and tucking them away into the floor storage. She then pulled the valve on the mattress and lay atop it while the air streamed out. Folding it, she caught a glimpse of Lauren standing at the stove while Lulu spoke animatedly next to her. She felt her heart swell in her chest at the sight, her mind racing with possibilities of what life might bring if Lauren were here on a more permanent basis, but the thought was pushed quickly from her mind at the sound of the door opening and slamming shut.

She turned to see a tall blonde Valkyrie in the doorway, "I... I remember you."

"Great. Where's Lauren?"

Bo's eyes flashed blue, "What do you want with Lauren?"

The doctor heard Bo's raised voice and came to stand between her and the Valkyrie, "Tamsin, I told you I would be out at ten. I still have fifteen minutes."

"Well, considering the only reliable time piece around here is an ancient sundial, how can you be surprised I thought you were late. Pancakes? Sure!"

Bo watched as the Valkyrie strolled into the kitchen and grabbed four pancakes from the plate and carried them to the table to where she usually sat and began eating them.

"Hey! This is not your..."

"Bo... calm down, please?" Lauren spoke softly, a hand on Bo's bicep as she looked into her eyes.

"Who the hell is she and what right does she have..."

"Bo, she's my friend. Her name is Tamsin. She helped us out at the Dal when the Hunters came. She's Acacia's right hand and my teacher."

"Your teacher? What... like you're back in college teacher?"

"Bo, I tried to tell you, there is a lot that you don't know and some things that can wait to discuss. Right now, all you need to know is that she is here to help. She is not a threat to me, Lulu or you."

"Well, I'd appreciate it if she would knock before barging into my house. Even Acacia does that. Isn't she her boss or something?"

Lauren nodded, "Yes, but Tamsin is also Acacia's right hand and right now, I need her to help me."

"Help you with what, Lauren? You don't need her. I'll protect you."

Lauren smiled brightly, leaning in to give Bo a gentle kiss on the lips, "I know you will always protect me, Bo but there are some things that you can't help me with that only a Valkyrie can."

"Try me."

"Bo, please. I want to have a nice breakfast with you before I have to go with her. We don't have much time."

Bo looked over Lauren's shoulder, "Well, it looks like she's having my breakfast in my chair with my daughter in my house."

The doctor laughed, "We had one make out session and not four hours later you're jealous of another woman?"

Bo folded her arms over her chest, "I am not jealous."

"You're adorable when you put and even more adorable when you're in denial."

Bo's shoulders sagged as her eyes begged Lauren's forgiveness, "Fine. I'm jealous. She's gorgeous and you're telling me she can do something for you that I can't. I just... I don't know. Last night gave me so much... hope. I've never had hope before."

"And you're afraid you don't deserve to feel hope?"

"I guess it's something like that. I just... I lost you once... and I know it was by choice but I just couldn't take a chance on killing you or putting you in the line of fire with the Hunters. Now, you're here and I find out that you've always felt about me the way that I felt about you and... I don't want to lose that."

Lauren smiled, pulling Bo into a strong embrace, "And me going with Tamsin this morning is the best way to make sure that you never do. We have a battle coming, Bo. We each have a roll to play in making sure we have our best shot at a happily ever after."

Bo pulled back, "You want a happily ever after? With me?"

Lauren smiled, "I've dreamt about it since I was a child, Bo. Of course, I want a chance to have that with you... and with Lulu. But we need to get through this mess before we can see what can be for us. Right?"

Bo nodded, "Right."

"Okay, so let's have breakfast, and then I'm off for the day. Evony spent most of last night and this morning with Trick, so they are coming here to talk to you with Dyson, Vex and the others some time tomorrow. I'll be back as close to when they get here as I can, okay?"

"Oh no. That Dark guy is not coming to my house. I do not want him knowing where we live. He wanted Lulu dead..."

"Bo, they already know where you live. Trick will explain. Look, you have to trust us. Vex is playing a part – they used a Truth Fae on he and Hale to be sure. They are bot doing what they have to so that we can weed out the Dark or Light Elders who might be working against us. They didn't tell me because they needed me to react as I should in case I was being watched at my clinic."

"Lauren, trust does not come easy for me."

"I know that, Bo and so does Evony. She's bringing some Unaligned muscle to the meeting and Acacia will also be here. The Valkyrie are sworn to protect both of you. Lulu is safe, Bo. You're safe."

"Still, I'm sending Lulu to school for that meeting."

Lauren nodded, "That's a great idea. It will keep her busy and away from prying eyes."

Bo thought for a moment, "Maybe I should put her in the panic room instead."

Lauren shook her head, "Bo, the panic room doesn't have anything in it for her to do. I've seen her school. How in the world would anyone even access it if they aren't her?"

Bo nodded, "That's true. Okay. School it is, but... you're coming back, right?"

"Absolutely."

"And that Valkyrie... she'll keep her hands to herself, right?"

Lauren laughed, "As much as she's able, yes."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I'm kidding, Bo. Relax. Nothing is going on between Tamsin and I. Now hurry and freshen up. I've got to leave soon and I want to have breakfast with you."

"Fine, but I'd like another kiss, please."

Lauren smiled and indulged the Succubus before smacking her on the butt as she headed off to the bathroom. She then turned and headed back to the kitchen table, taking a seat next to Lulu,

"How are the pancakes, kiddo?" Lauren asked.

"These are the best! How do you make them?"

Tamsin smirked, "Unless you want a chemistry lesson, you should never ask the Doc anything about the stuff she cooks, kid."

"I love chemistry! Do you know about Marie Curie?"

Tamsin rolled her eyes, but Lauren smiled excitedly in response, "I do!"

"I have one of her diaries in my school library!" Lulu said excitedly.

"Well, maybe we can read some of that tonight before bed!" Lauren smiled.

"No go, Doc. You're not going to be back here tonight. We have that thing tonight."

Lauren scowled, "I thought you said..."

"Sorry, things are moving faster than anticipated. It's tonight, Lauren. Sorry."

The blonde frowned, "Sorry, Lu. It'll have to wait."

"But when will you be back?" Lulu frowned.

"Yea, when will you be back?" All eyes turned to Bo who was standing with her hands balled into fists just behind Tamsin.

"See you outside, Lewis." Tamsin said, standing to leave, but Bo stepped into her path,

"Care to tell me where you're taking my girlfriend?"

Tamsin looked at Lauren and then back at Bo, "I am not at liberty to discuss, but you may take it up with my superior or ask Lauren."

Bo stood her ground, "I don't like you."

"You don't know me."

"I don't trust you."

Tamsin sighed, remembering Acacia's words of warning to play nice with the Succubus,

"You don't know me. But I'll tell you this. I've protected your girlfriend with my life for more than five years and will continue to do so. I have never allowed any harm to come to her and am doing everything in my power to make sure that no harm ever does come to her. Like the rest of us, she has a destiny to fulfill and has accepted her fate. So trust me or don't trust me. Your trust of me is not my concern. Lauren trusts me and if she really is your girlfriend, that should be enough for you."

Tamsin pushed her way past Bo calling out as she left, "Thanks for the pancakes, Lauren. I'll give you an extra fifteen, but that's all we can spare or we'll miss the window."

Lauren watched as Tamsin pointed towards her wrist before she exited the cabin, then turned to Bo, "Can we please have breakfast with Lulu now? I was really hoping for a great morning with the two most important girls in my life before I had to leave."

"Momma? Please?" Lulu asked, looking at Bo.

The brunette moved to the cabinet and pulled out a clean plate before grabbing a few pancakes from the warmer on the stove. Moving over to the table, she took Tamsin's plate and put it in the sink before taking her seat. She took a deep breath before reaching out to grip Lauren's hand,

"These smell great. May I have some blueberries, please?"

Lauren smiled brightly, "Of course. Coffee?"

"Yes, please."

Lauren stood to get Bo some coffee while the brunette dug into her pancakes.

"Aren't they the best, Momma? Our recipe isn't this good! We have to use this one from now on, right?"

Bo smiled and nodded, taking another bite.

"So, when Lauren comes back, we're gonna read Marie Curie's diary together. She actually knows who she is. Can you believe it? No one ever knows..."

Bo listened to her daughter while Lauren came to sit beside her, giving her hand a squeeze before laying another pancake on her plate. The three sat together while Lulu spoke of all of the wonderful things she planned to read at her school today.

Bo's mind was distracted by the uncharacteristic sound of swordplay behind the house. What little peace she had known was gone. What was this Valkyrie doing with her Lolo? Why were people always keeping secrets from her? What was this man Trick coming to her house to talk about? One thing Bo knew... she wanted answers and in the next several days, she was going to get them or she would take matters into her own hands and that is something none of them were ready for.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

The delay was getting to Bo. Lauren was supposed to be back yesterday, but instead she was told that it would be another day until her return. When she asked where she was and what she was doing, she was given that same bullshit answer she'd been given when she asked what that old man was coming to say, 'It's not my story to tell.'

The worst part was that Lulu had stayed up with Marie Curie's diary in her hands marking pages to read with Lauren and had been very upset when the blonde hadn't come. Okay, so maybe Bo wasn't really as concerned with Lulu who seemed to take the news in stride, stating that it would give her more time to mark the important pages. The truth was that after their intense night together, Bo felt like a piece of her was missing without Lauren in the house. Her Succubus was restless as well, which only made matters worse.

Maybe she just needed a feed? The thought of tasting anyone else's chi after tasting just a few sips of Lauren's was revolting, but she knew that if she didn't feed, her starved Succubus might take it out on the blonde, so she told Acacia she needed some personal time to deal with her hunger.

So, earlier today Bo had joined the Valkyrie on the battlefield so that she could feed from groups of Hunters. Seeing the Succubus in action was unlike anything the Elder Valkyrie had ever seen and Acacia had been forced to admit, the Succubus was much more than she had ever imagined. Her fighting instincts were unmatched by any of her Valkyrie, herself and Tamsin included. She smiled thinking of how entertaining a fight between Tamsin and the Succubus would be, but also knew she would be sacrificing her number one soldier, which would not be good.

Her hunger now sated, she returned home to feed Lulu some chi and food, then take her down to her school. That had been over an hour ago and there was still no sign of Lauren. Bo wanted to ask again since she was positive Acacia knew what was going on with her girlfriend, but she had already asked at least five times in the last twenty-four hours, so she restrained herself from asking yet again.

Acacia now stood by the windows awaiting the arrival of the group who would give the Chosen One the final pieces to her puzzle. It was not a conversation anyone was looking forward to, knowing how the young Fae had reacted to all of the news she had received thus far, but everyone had convinced Trick it was time for the Succubus to know her story as well as the story of what was to come.

"Okay, the car just pulled up. You're ready to listen?"

Bo sighed, "I've already told you, Acacia. I'm ready to hear whatever it is you're all hell-bent on me knowing. More importantly, I want everyone to stop keeping secrets and talking in riddles. And I know you don't want to hear it, but I still really want to know where Lauren is and when you're letting her come back. I swear if you guys are holding her somewhere against her will, I'll..."

"Bo, I've told you that Lauren is where she is willingly. She began something quite some time ago and the timing just happened to coincide with your arrival. I assure you she will be here, but what she is doing has a timetable of its own."

"You speak in riddles old woman."

"And you need to learn to respect your elders, youngling."

"For all of this talk about me being this Chosen One, I sure don't get much respect."

Acacia only nodded, giving her a sympathetic tight smile as the door opened, revealing the leader of the Unaligned, "Bo, darling. How are you? Miss me?

"So much, Evony. You'll just never know how much." Bo replied sarcastically.

"So, I believe you already know Dyson, Vex and Hale. This is Mark, Dyson's son and Val, Hale's sister and Ciara, Dyson's mate. We brought your friend Kenzi... she babbled and babbled about you needing her moral support, so..."

"BoBo!" Kenzi walked over to her, "How are you? Okay? Good because you would not believe where I've been! Trickster over there lost a bet and I've now got a free tab for life at his bar! And his top shelf is to die for! And Ciara over there? She owns this top shelf boutique if you know what I mean. She treated me to these boots... aren't they amazing? They make my feet so happy and..." she leaned in to whisper, "... they cost more than your car!"

Bo smiled, eyeing the crowd warily as they made themselves comfortable around the table Acacia had set up,

"Sounds great, Kenz. Now, what can you tell me about these people?"

"Well, everything sounds real legit, BoBo. That Trick guy has this place below the bar he calls his 'lair' and it's loaded with all of this ridiculously old Fae shit and all of these super old books. I been running around helping Dyson and that bitchy Valkyrie Tamsin solve cases this week... you know, the whole Human touch and all... it was cool, BoBo. These Fae are total freaks!"

Kenzi realized what she'd said and back peddled, "Not that you're a freak. I mean..."

"I know what you mean, Kenz. And how about that Tamsin chick?"

"Total bitch, right?"

"Totally. She barged in here today and demanded that Lauren go with her on some damn sleepover right after we had just finally reconnected. Now I feel like my damn heart is in my throat."

"Ohmagosh. Is the Doc dead? You killed her?"

"No, Kenzi! She helped me with my control this week. She's... she's amazing, Kenz and... well, we talked about how we felt in high school and how..."

"Oh. My. God. I can see it in your eyes. You totally lurve the Doctor!"

Bo smiled, "I don't know, Kenz. I mean... we just... we stayed up so late last night just talking about everything and anything and... well, we made out and it was... ohmygods, she is an amazing kisser and... she's alive, Kenzi. I don't know what it is, but... I mean, a couple times I accidentally took some really small sips of her chi and she tasted so incredible, but it was enough. I didn't really want or need her chi. I just needed her... ya know?"

"I don't, but I'll take your word for it, Succusnatch! Congratulations on making out with your first living, breathing, walking, talking Human!"

"I know, right? It's amazing."

"KENZI!"

The pair turned to see Evony standing with her hands on her hips, "Can we please get started?"

Kenzi stood and bowed to the Unaligned leader before giving her a salute. Evony rolled her eyes before taking a seat across from Trick. Bo came to sit beside Evony and Kenzi next to her before the others all assumed seats of their own.

"Bo, this is your support group, whether you believe it, trust it or not. All of these people have your backs because all of them have Trick's back. In fact, they've had Trick's back for a very, very, very long time."

Bo looked up at Acacia, "See? Cryptic."

Acacia strolled over the table, "The Chosen One would appreciate it if you would all stop talking in riddles and tell her what's been going on all of her life. So, if we could just get right to it, please? She has a daughter trapped in a confined space for her safety until this is all over, so would like to move things along. Just say what must be said... all of it... and then she'll process it when you all leave... for your own safety."

Vex spoke first, his hands in the air, "I would just like to say that I should receive an Oscar for my performance since your arrival at the good Doctor's clinic. All of the Dark Elders believe that I am siding with their ridiculous assumptions about you. As of now, I can safely say they are standing by the deal reached at your trial, but they're not particularly happy about it. For that reason, I am continuing to monitor the situation from the inside for any change to their plans. You're welcome."

Bo sat still, arms folder over her chest as she waited for the next person to speak.

"Like the Dark, the Light Elders are sticking with the status quo. The additional issue I am dealing with is the whereabouts of one Doctor Lauren Lewis. I notice she is not here tonight and had hoped to talk to her about..."

"Lauren is no one's property. If you try to capture and enslave her again, I will kill you."

Bo's eyes blazed a brilliant blue, causing everyone to sit up. Hale looked particularly nervous as he spoke,

"I have been working to free Dr. Lewis for some time now. She has not been made aware of all that I've been doing, but I assure you, if she returned to us, her position would be temporary..."

Bo stood, slamming her fists down on the table, cracking the wood, "Maybe you didn't hear me the first time..."

Hale raised his hands, "No, I heard you just fine, but you must understand..."

"I must understand nothing. You must understand that she was promised her freedom by the previous Ash and you did not honor the terms of that agreement."

"I'm in a difficult position."

"You're right. If you try to take the doctor, you will die. If any of your guards or your elders tries to take the doctor, they will die. Any other questions or comments regarding Dr. Lewis?"

The table was silent other than a quiet chuckle from Evony before she spoke, "Okay then, who's next."

Val cleared her throat, and then began, "Ciara and I have been in our family vault searching for the Zamora Clan declaration of the prophecy and we can confirm that what Trick has found and what we have found concur. Trick will be revealing himself to the Light Fae Elders at a meeting tomorrow and presenting our evidence at that meeting. From there, the information should be made public to the Dark Fae and the Unaligned, who will, of course, already have that information from this meeting. Trick?"

Bo watched as the older gentleman pulled out several scrolls and passed it to Dyson to give to Bo. The Succubus untied it, looking curiously at Trick who nodded to her to open it. Unrolling it, she read,

 _The End of Days will come when the Chosen One is shown her true power._

 _All Fae will know and feel her presence and kneel at her feet._

 _Her eyes both brown and blue, she is virtuous yet lustful, neither Dark nor Light, yet both._

 _Only she will choose who lives and who dies._

 _She will be more powerful than all others before her._

 _In the end, of those who oppose her, there will be only she... the Chosen One._

 _Fealty will be surrendered to her by these who will lead and guide her..._

 _A Wolf and his mate, both noble and true,_

 _A Valkyrie Queen with eyes of blue,_

 _A leader changed in spirit and view,_

 _A Siren, A Mesmer, A Blood King, too,_

 _A Human whose heart she carries inside,_

 _A Fae with power to silence the tide,_

 _A Valkyrie who gives life to the Chosen One's love,_

 _A Child who shares the Chosen's Blood._

 _It is these who will follow her all the way_

 _And these who will steady her through the End of Days._

Looking up at the group around the table, she searched their faces for any reaction to what she'd read, but found none. They all sat, stoically awaiting what she supposed was her response. Instead, she rolled up the scroll and turned to Trick,

"Speak old man. I don't have the patience for riddles written on an old scroll."

Trick nodded, "If you would allow me, what you referred to as an old scroll is the evidence I will present, with your permission, to the councils of the Dark and Light Elders. Hale holds in his possession a woven version of the very same verse proving that there are at least two lineages that have passed down the same version of the Prophecy... your Prophecy. Add to that your personal lineage and it all makes sense. Again, that is something I will need your permission to explain."

"Explain what?"

Trick extended his hand to Dyson, asking him to pass the scroll back. Opening it once more, he explained,

"In order to have the full support of the entire colony and beyond, we have to prove that you are the Chosen One."

"Okay, stop right there. What in the world does that mean?"

Trick looked at Dyson, then Evony and then back to Bo, "It means, Ysabeau, that you are the Chosen One... THE One... the Queen of all of the Fae."

Bo's eyes went wide, but Trick continued before she had a chance to protest,

"Look, it's all right here... this line about your eyes being both brown and blue refers to your Succubus. From the way you feed, refusing to have... carnal relations, but opting instead for chi breathing only... explains the virtuous yet lustful. This next part..."

"Okay, buddy. I get it. Move on."

"Okay then, everyone around this table has been slowly brought together over the last decade... a decade that coincides with your growth into the powerful being you are now. Each of us has pledged our fealty to the Chosen One... first as individuals who have heard this version of the prophecy since we were born or as individuals who simply fell into a life with you such as Lauren and Kenzi. That said, when you look at the group who has gathered to support you, then read the specifics of those who pledged direct fealty to you before you took power, we're all there."

"Who's all where?" Bo asked.

Evony sat up, "Oh for crying out loud, Bo. You read the damn scroll!" She pointed around the table, "Wolf, Faery Queen, Siren, Silencer, Mesmer, Valkyrie Queen, Valkyrie bitch, Blood King, the Leader is me and the Human is Kenzi. Clearly the child is Lulu. Get it?"

Bo scowled, "May I see that scroll again?"

Dyson handed the scroll over and watched while the Succubus perused the document again. She looked up at Trick,

"You're... you're the Blood King?"

Trick nodded.

"You... you called me Ysabeau."

Trick nodded again, watching as the young Fae put the information together.

"I was... young. I knew you looked familiar but... it couldn't be."

She allowed her eyes to roam the table, but no one looked up at her. She looked back at Trick, "You're... you're my grandfather."

"I am."

"You left? You left."

"Ysabeau..."

"It's Bo. My Mom didn't like to use that name. It was her Mom's name. Her Mom who died because of you."

"Ysa... Bo, please. There are always two sides to every story. Allow me mine."

Bo felt a hand come to rest on her shoulder. Looking up she saw Acacia standing over her. The Valkyrie Queen whispered, "You promised to listen."

Bo gave her a nod before turning to Trick, "Explain."

"I was losing the war and my people were being enslaved as our lands were lost. Against my wishes, my wife went to try to make peace with the opposing King. He had her killed. When word reached me about her death, I had no fight left in me. My daughter, your Mother, on the other hand, was angry beyond belief. Also against my wishes, she left with a small group of soldiers she had enthralled without my knowledge. I opened my veins and wrote the blood laws to create peace unaware that my daughter was breaking those very laws soon after they were written."

"You offered her up to be imprisoned... used for centuries until my Father rescued her."

Trick shook his head, "I didn't know. I thought the Dark had killed her. It wasn't until Evony and I talked years ago that I learned she was still alive... that she had become pregnant... with you. She went crazy after you were born. Your Father and I argued over what to do. I wanted her committed to an institution where she could get help, but he insisted on keeping her at the mansion. You were just over two years of age when I was asked to leave... to have no contact with you again."

Evony spoke, "Your Father was somehow able to control your Mother... he was a part of her somehow. How we know it was similar to how he is using those Hunters out there. After your sloppy feed was found and word hit the papers of that young boy named Kyle, the Fae came after you... to put you down. Trick showed me the Prophecy, which I in turn shared with Vex. Vex shared it with Tamsin who shared it with Acacia. Trick also shared it with Dyson who had pledged his fealty to the Blood King, so he and his mate, Ciara, spent the last decade making sure your feeds were cleaned up and that the Valkyrie were always secretly watching out for you."

"So all of this time, you've known about me?" Bo asked Trick.

The old man nodded, "I had to keep my identity and yours a secret. If I had reached out to you before you had come fully into your powers, the Fae would have tracked you down. When you settled here in this cabin, I knew you were safe. We kept the rumors about the lands alive with Rainer's help."

"Rainer knew?" Bo asked, shocked.

Trick nodded, "Tamsin sought him out against my wishes. She knew he was noble and trustworthy and would do anything to keep you and your child safe."

"And Hades?"

Trick shook his head, "The King of Darkness can take many forms, Bo. I did not know your Father was Hades. I only knew him as Jack Dennis. Apparently, your Mother knew who he was. He revealed himself to her after your birth. We believe that is what truly drove her mad."

"Mad?"

"Your Mother is in an asylum, Bo. She did not die. She helped us to banish him to the underworld, but we could not save her mind."

"Two fries short of a Happy Meal, that one." Vex commented, shaking his head.

Bo's eyes flashed blue, causing the Mesmer to put both of his hands up, "Easy there Succubunny. No harm meant, darlin'."

"So, you've left me out here all of my life with a child, fighting for my life every day instead of helping me?"

Trick shook his head, "I was helping you in every way I could while allowing you the time we needed for the Prophecy to come about."

"So some scroll was more important than making sure your own flesh and blood survived? You allowed me to continue to live in isolation, tossing my child into a dark whole beneath this floor every time the Hunters came after me?"

Trick sat silently as Bo stood furiously from the table. She paced back and forth until she paused, staring at the fire. After a long moment, she moved swiftly back to the table and grabbed the scroll. Opening it, she allowed her eyes to move down the verse before looking up at Evony,

"Lauren isn't mentioned in this. Does that mean she's not supposed to be here? Does that mean she is not supposed to be a part of my life? Does that mean she's going to die?"

Evony shook her head, but before she could respond, the door opened revealing Tamsin followed by Lauren. Bo took several steps towards her girlfriend as Tamsin tip-toed past her to stand by Acacia. The brunette's eyes scanned the blonde's back, noting the two blood streaks down either side of the back of her shirt,

"Lauren? My Gods, what did they do to you! You're hurt!"

Lauren remained facing the door, pushing it shut and locking it before slowly turning to face the brunette,

"I'm fine, Bo. Really."

Bo looked at the blonde, confused, "You look... your aura... it's... different."

She looked back at Acacia and Tamsin, then back at Lauren. She opened the scroll and read quickly, her voice a whisper,

"A Human whose heart she carries inside, A Fae with power to silence the tide, A Valkyrie who gives life to the Chosen One's love... the Chosen One's love... my love..."

She spun around, moving swiftly to Tamsin, gripping her neck, her eyes blazing blue, she lifted her up and slammed her against the nearest wall. She spoke, her voice emanating hollow tones as a strange wind roared through the cabin,

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER?"

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

Acacia moved to subdue Bo, but with a wave of her hand, she sent the Valkyrie Queen flying across the room to the other wall. All at the table had stood, but after seeing what the Succubus had done with the wave of her hand, they stood still, watching as Lauren made her way across the room.

She reached up, placing a gentle hand on Bo's bicep, "Bo, please. I'm okay. Put Tamsin down. You're hurting her."

"SHE HURT YOU."

"Bo, look at me. I'm fine, sweetie. Put Tamsin down."

The Succubus turned to look at Lauren, releasing the Valkyrie who immediately dropped to her knees, gripping her throat. After a long moment, Tamsin stood and ran across the room to check on Acacia who was slowly getting back to her feet.

Lauren turned to the group, "I think that's enough history for one night. Let's give it a couple of days and we'll reconvene."

"Lauren, this can't wait..."

"Trick, it can and it will." Lauren replied in a strong voice, "And Hale, don't expect me back."

Hale lifted his hat and rubbed his head before placing the Fedora back in its place, "I don't think I'll be arguing with anything you want. I'll figure out a way around the elders. I have no idea how, but I'll find a way."

Acacia stood, "Maybe its time I paid them a visit."

Hale nodded, "That may be our best out at this point."

Dyson asked, "I think we have some new information to discuss. Trick, can we meet at the Dal?"

Trick nodded, "I closed early, so a private party would definitely be possible."

Evony snarked, "Oh goody, stale beer and month-old nuts."

Trick shook his head as the group quietly made their departure, all stunned by the display of power they had seen. Acacia sent Tamsin to check on the troops before moving cautiously over to Bo and Lauren,

"You are definitely more than a Succubus. It seems you've got some of your Daddy's tricks in you too. It's time you start some training of your own, Bo. The population of Hunters has grown too quickly. We've had to step up our time table which means we have to step up your training as well."

Lauren noted that Bo had nodded in response despite not replying. She looked up at Acacia,

"I can only imagine what all of the information she received tonight is doing to her. I expected to be back yesterday to drop my little information bomb... I think it's all just a bit too much. We'll talk more in the morning?"

Acacia nodded, "And the little one?"

"We'll see to her. Thank you."

Acacia nodded.

"Acacia?"

The Valkyrie Queen turned, surprised to hear the Succubus' voice, "Yes, Bo?"

"I'm... I'm sorry. I didn't know I could..."

Acacia nodded with a smile, "Well, now you know... and I have a better idea of why you're The Chosen One. I can only imagine what powers your daughter will have one day."

She turned to walk away when Bo's words stopped her,

"Has. She has powers... already."

Acacia stood staring at Lauren before she spoke, "Uh... what..."

"Tomorrow. I'll tell you and show you all tomorrow. But remember, Acacia... my trust doesn't come easy nor is it free."

Acacia nodded, "Understood, my Queen."

The Valkyrie headed for the door, laughing when she heard Bo call out to her,

"Don't call me that."

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

Bo sat in the bathtub surrounded by bubbles. She was pruning now, but she had no desire or energy to get up and dry off. Lauren had Lulu, so she was pretty sure that the pair of them were brain deep in discussions about Marie Curie's diary entries. While she would love to watch the energy of the pair talking about something they were both over the moon about, her mind was bogged down with all of the information she'd been given tonight.

First, she'd met her long lost grandfather... the bastard. She supposed she would have to hear him out eventually, but right now she just heard blah, blah, blah as he mounted excuse after excuse for why he had walked out and left her with her crazy ass parents.

Second, there was a prophecy written about her and it came complete with a set of steak knives. Well, not really, but it did come with its own army who were each skilled in their own right and ready to die for her. She had lived her entire life prepared to die for Lulu or Lauren, but never had she thought anyone would be willing to do the same for her. Was she worth someone else's life? She didn't think so, but... well, that was something to think about later.

Third, she wasn't the cause of the end of the days, but the person to end the end of days. Was she really supposed to stop the destruction of the world? And if so, how was she supposed to do that with just the people that were here tonight? It seemed impossible.

Finally, there was Lauren. The Valkyrie had given birth to her? What did that mean? Her aura was different, she had blood on her back but nowhere else. Had she sparred with her back to someone? That seemed weird. Was it some sort of voodoo ritual? She remembered when she'd first arrived that someone had made a comment to Lauren about her being alive was thanks to some Witch... then she met Evony. She was a witch, for sure... a bitchy witch. Now Bo wondered if they'd actually been talking about a Witch... one of the magic variety. There was a Witch who lived on these lands since Bo was child. Her Mom had always told her she was a good witch. Now that she knew her Mom was crazy and her Dad was the devil, maybe she should look into that little old lady. Could she be the one channeling the Hunters?

What about Lauren's aura? Was it different because her feelings had changed? Was she in love with Tamsin? The prophecy had been talking about the love of the Chosen One, but that didn't necessarily mean that Lauren loved her back.

"Bo? Are you going to come out any time soon? That water has to be getting cold."

Lauren entered the room slowly, giving the brunette a small smile. She ran her fingertips through the water, a confused look moving across her face,

"How is this water still this hot?"

Bo shrugged, "My Dad is Hades... you know, lives in Hel... fire and brimstone. I can heat things up."

Lauren nodded, removing her hand from the water.

"Are you afraid of me?" Bo asked.

Lauren shook her head, "Absolutely not. After the night we shared, why would you think that?"

Bo shrugged, "I guess because now I know everything that you knew all along."

Lauren knelt down by the tub, "That's right. I knew everything all along... well, at least for the last seven years or so, but despite that knowledge, I never stopped loving you. Of course, I thought the prophecies had to have been written about someone else since I thought you were... you know, dead and all."

"Right. Still sorry about that. Apology number 37 if you're keeping score."

Lauren smiled, "So... how are you?"

Bo sighed, closing her eyes before opening them to stare at the bubbles, "My grandfather is alive, I'm a Queen with an army ready to die for me, I'm supposed to save the world from imminent doom by preventing my Father from taking over the earth and the Valkyrie I trusted least in this world just spent the last 72 hours doing something to the woman I've prayed for all of my life... a woman I'm sure that I'm falling in love with. What she did to her is still up for debate, but her aura is different and she won't tell me if that's because she's suddenly not so hot on loving the Chosen One or if it's because something about her has physically changed. Now how that would happen in 72 hours, I'm not sure but since I have no further information... well, I don't know how I am."

"Well, how about we have a snack with Lulu before we put her to bed and then we return to that air mattress where we seem to have fantastic bedtime conversation."

Bo smiled weakly, "I'll be right down."

Lauren nodded, handing Bo her towel, "I'll count on it."

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

"Momma got really mad a little while ago, huh?"

"I thought we were talking Marie Curie?" Lauren replied, dodging the question.

"I can feel her, ya know. We're blood and you're different."

 _Shit._

"Hey Lu." Bo said, lifting her daughter up from the chair and dropping her into her lap after taking her seat.

"Hey! You took my seat!"

"No I didn't. You're still sitting in it. I'm just the seat cushion. But I am taking one of your cookies!"

"Hey!" Lulu pouted as she watched Bo eat one of her chocolate chips, "Lauren made those for me. She made you fruit."

"Fruit?" Bo asked, looking up at Lauren who was cutting up watermelon.

Lauren shrugged, "You used to love watermelon when we were kids. Did that change?"

Bo nodded, "I did... I mean, I still do, but... your baking was always top notch! Are you really going to deny me one of my favorite sinful treats from the Lewis school of food chemistry?"

Lauren burst out laughing while Lulu sat looking between the two, confused, "What's food chemistry?"

Bo smiled, "Well, when we were in high school, if you wanted a recipe from my Lolo, you wouldn't get just a list of ingredients, but all of the chemical reactions that take place when you combine them, like precisely when to add something so a cake was light and fluffy or the exact oven temperature at each stage of cooking something so that it would have the perfect burst of flavor."

"Well, there's nothing worse than dry, rubbery meat, chicken or fish. Am I right?"

Lulu nodded eagerly, "One time, Momma caught two bass in the lake and tried to cook them over an open fire for us down on the beach and it was terrible!"

"Hey! You've never starved, right?"

Lulu raised her eyebrows and rolled her eyes, "I almost did that night."

"Show some respect! I worked hard on that meal and it was my first attempt at open fire cooking."

Lulu laughed, looking up at Lauren, "It took her four hours to catch two fish, should of gotten arrested because one was a throw back but she said it was the perfect size for a half pint like me and then she flipped the canoe trying to land the second one. It took another hour for her to get the fire started and then she dropped one of the filets in the fire. It was a disaster, Doctor Lauren."

"Forgetting the fact that you still ate both pieces of your fish, you raved about how good the potatoes and green beans were." Bo pouted.

Lulu laughed, "That's because I felt bad for you, Momma."

"Remind me to thank you for telling Lauren this story when you bring home a partner for the first time."

"Why?"

"Because it will remind me to tell a humiliating story in front of them so you lose a couple of cool points, too."

Lauren laughed, leaning down to kiss Bo's cheek, "I think it's absolutely adorable that you went to all of that trouble to have a different sort of meal with you Lulu. Maybe we can try a do-over of the same meal after things settle down around here."

Bo smiled, "I'd like that."

Lulu smiled mischievously, "I would too... as long as you do the fishing, fire-making and cooking."

"Hey!" Bo huffed, her hands on her hips and eyes set on her daughter who was laughing hysterically, "Answer me this, Missy... what would you do if I suddenly closed the fire place and removed the stove?"

"Why would you do that?" Lulu asked.

"Because if you remember correctly, the cabin was not finished back then. The fireplace wasn't in and there was no kitchen yet."

Lulu nodded, "Ohmagosh! That's right! I forgot about that! We used to cook on that big brick thing out back!"

"Well, I'm not surprised you didn't remember that right away. You were really little."

"How old was I then?"

"Maybe four or five when the cabin was finished."

Lulu looked up at Lauren who was sipping her tea and enjoying a cookie, "We lived in a tent for a lotta time. Momma used to move it around a lot so the Hunters wouldn't know where to find us. We stayed in Coleman Cave a lot, too... and the boathouse. I really liked the boathouse. We go out in that on weekends when the weather gets warmer. The Hunters don't follow us out there. It's nice when it's just us, huh Momma?"

Bo's smile warmed Lauren's heart. She had so much love for this little girl. It shouldn't surprise her considering who she was when they were younger, but now, knowing she was a Succubus... well, it was a bit against type.

"It is nice, Lu. That's not a tradition we'll be stopping anytime soon." Bo looked at Lauren, "You will, of course, be welcome to join us."

"Will you? Huh? You gotta come, Doctor Lauren! The boat has a grill _and_ a stove! Momma puts out the tow line and pulls me around the lake on the tube. It's so much fun! You can do it with me!"

Lauren smiled, "Well, that sounds like way too much fun to pass up!"

"It's totally cool. Aunt Kenzi comes along, but she pretty much lays on the roof the whole time working on her tan. I keep telling her that Humans can get skin cancer from doing that too much, but she doesn't listen to me. Maybe you can tell her. She needs to hear it from a Doctor."

Bo laughed, "I doubt she'd listen to Lolo either, Lu. You know how much she hates doctors."

Lulu laughed, "Momma, she wants to be called Lauren, not Lolo." Lulu turned to Lauren, "Kenzi doesn't think Doctors are real. She tells me all the time I spend reading about science stuff is a waste because most of it isn't true. She says they're all consprit thereusts or something like that."

Bo laughed, "Conspiracy theorists, Lu and you're right." Bo turned to Lauren, "I'm sorry I keep calling you Lolo. I'm afraid it's going to be a hard habit to break. Forgive me?"

Lauren smiled, "Every time you do it as long as you forgive me for every time I call you Izzy."

Bo smiled, "Deal."

Lulu smiled, "Seal the deal with a kiss."

Lauren looked at the young girl, "What?"

"When we make deals in this family, you seal them with a kiss. Just deals in the family. Not deals with the guy at the hardware store or anything. That's gross."

Bo and Lauren laughed before Lauren leaned in, her eyes staring at Bo's lips, "I'd hate to miss Dennis family deal-sealing ritual."

Bo smiled and leaned in to place a chaste kiss on Lauren's mouth before pulling back, her eyes closed, her tongue gliding over her top lip.

"Wow. You got her whipped, Doctor Lauren." Lulu quipped, gulping down the last of her milk before taking her plate and glass to the sink.

Bo and Lauren stared at each other before giggling quietly to one another. Lauren leaned in and whispered,

"Where does she come up with this stuff?"

Bo smiled, "Kenzi, mostly. My best friend is a blessing and a curse. Some of the stuff Lu has picked up is downright cute, but other things are completely inappropriate. I try not to leave her with Kenzi that often for that reason, but... well, most of the time it's Kenzi or alone and I don't like leaving her alone for long."

Lauren nodded, "Well, I'm glad to hear that. I really wasn't sure what to think when I found her."

Bo sighed, "Well, you made it abundantly clear what you thought and honestly, I was embarrassed that you found her alone. I know how that must look, but at the same time, I also know that she can handle herself. There are two safe rooms for her to go, one being a full-on panic room. And..."

Bo paused, watching as Lulu finished drying off her washed dish before putting it in the cabinet. Lauren could tell Bo was struggling with something she might want to share. She didn't want to push, but she did want to keep the trust moving forward,

"Bo, you know that anything you tell me... especially about Lulu... will be kept between us. I'm not here to judge how you're raising your daughter. Frankly, I don't know if I could have done as good a job as you've done now that I know what you've been dealing with... and I only know bits and pieces of what that has been like. I just... well... honesty and trust is important to a relationship... important to me and... I want you to feel comfortable talking to me... being open with me. I'm not pushing. When you're ready, you'll..."

"She's powerful Lo. My daughter has come into her powers and they're continuing to grow every day. I did not get much of an education in the ways of the Fae, but my Mom and Dad did tell me that most children only inherit the abilities of one parent. I know that I have the powers of both my Mom and Dad although I'm still learning what some of them are. Hearing that Trick is my grandfather and the Blood King... well, that complicates things even more. I mean, I've heard the stories of the Blood King and what he could do. What if my blood is like his? Lulu is already showing an amplified version of her Father's gift of foresight... she possesses the power of telekinesis too. She gets hungry like a Succubus, so I give her chi feeds twice a day."

Bo's eyes welled with tears and Lauren was there to respond with a strong hand gripping the brunette's. Lulu came to the table and crawled into Bo's lap,

"And she forgets that I can hear really, really well too. We don't know where that came from since none of my family tree books have anyone that could do that. Weird, huh?" Lulu asked Lauren.

The blonde nodded, "That does seem quite unusual, but handy, I guess."

Lulu nodded, "I hear all kinds of stuff I'm not supposed to hear... like what my Momma was just telling you. She doesn't want me to have to have S-E-X too soon. She worries a lot. I wish she didn't worry so much."

Lauren's heart broke, looking at Bo as she listened to her daughter. These two had been through so much together, the blonde could only hope the coming forces would be dealt with swiftly so Mother and Daughter could finally live the kind of life they would choose to live had they never had to be in hiding and constantly on guard.

"Bedtime, Momma."

Bo nodded, "Do you want a story?"

Lulu smiled, "No, but you do. Doctor Lauren is different and you want to know why."

She leaned in to Bo's ear and whispered, but Lauren had to laugh when she could hear everything the little girl said,

"You'll tell me her story after she tells you, right? No secrets?"

Bo smiled, "No secrets, Lu. But I'm going to have Lauren tell you after she tells me, okay? There are some people you're going to have to meet soon. They're going to be very important for us in the coming weeks and you're going to have to work with them, Lu... they're going to have to get to know you... and what you can do."

"But you said that if people knew what I could do..."

Bo shook her head, "I promise you, Lu... you will always be safe around these people. If you don't want to tell them all, I'll respect that, but the Valkyrie will have to know since they're the ones that will be protecting you if I can't be with you. I now you've read about Blood Oaths, Lu. The Valkyrie gave an even bigger oath to protect you. I didn't know it at the trial, but..."

"It's called a Life Oath, Momma. I read about Valkyries last night. The one who guards my door... Dara... she told me she gave her Life Oath... that all of them did. After I looked it up, I wanted to give her something... you know, cause she gave me her life."

Bo looked concerned, "What did you give her, Lu?"

Lu traced the row of buttons on her Mom's shirt as she replied, "I gave her my Tree of Life pin and she put it right on the strap of her sheath. You know, the thing that holds her sword?"

Bo smiled, "I know what it is and that was very nice of you, Lu."

"I hope it's enough. I don't have much of value to give her, so I gave her what I had. I thought about giving her Daddy's ring... I mean, I didn't know him much but... I just... it's all I'll ever have of him."

Bo sighed, pulling her daughter into a hug, "That's not all you'll ever have of him, Lu. You have his eyes and you have his power, right? And you have that tiny little birth mark on your hip just like he had."

Lu smiled, "And I have the one on my ankle like you have. I think I have your eyes."

She laid her head on Bo's chest, "I'm hungry Momma."

"I know, Lu. Come on, let's feed you and get you to bed. We've got a greenhouse to tend to tomorrow morning."

"Hooray! I love greenhouse day! You'll love it, Doctor Lauren!"

Bo raised her daughter's mouth to her and pushed a long stream of chi into her. Lu tucked her head into Bo's neck, holding on to her for a long while before she whispered in her ear,

"Goodnight, Momma. Don't worry about me so much, okay? And be nice to Doctor Lauren. She's worried about what you'll think of what she's going to tell her. Remember to put your ears on."

Bo smiled, "Listen don't react. Got it."

Lulu crawled from Bo's lap over to Lauren's and gave her a big hug, whispering in her ear, "Sometimes she reacts without thinking. Remind her to listen. You wanna do the greenhouse with us in the morning? I think you'll like it."

Lauren pulled back, smiling, "Thanks for the advice and I look forward to tomorrow morning, Lulu."

"Me too. Goodnight, Doctor Lauren."

Lulu placed a kiss on the blonde's cheek and crawled down from her lap. Gripping her cup of water, she called out goodnight and headed off to bed. Bo and Lauren sat in awkward silence, each of them sipping their tea to the bottom of the cup. Bo took the dishes to the sink and Lauren dried while she washed. Once everything was put away, Lauren walked out to the fireplace and stood in front of the fire, warming her hands. Bo stood in the doorway for a moment before she asked,

"I don't want to assume, but are we going to sleep on the air mattress tonight?" Bo asked.

Lauren looked up at the balcony where Dara stood her duty at Lulu's door. The Valkyrie gave the other blonde a slight nod before Lauren turned to Bo,

"Air mattress it is."

The blonde opened the floor storage and pulled out all of the bedtime gear while Bo went to the kitchen and brushed her teeth. When Bo returned, they traded places, the blonde freshening up while Bo added the sheets and blankets to the inflated mattress. Lauren returned to the room and Bo waved her onto the bed. They sat side by side on the edge,

"So, where is Kenzi?"

"Sleeping in the tree house."

"The tree house? It's freezing out there!"

"Well, Kenzi lived in the underground before I found her. The tree house is a step up. She likes it and has everything she needs there. She carries a computer with gaming kit and solar battery set up she built. She also steals internet so sometimes just watches movies. The tree house is her place. She either stays there or when she's sick of the Fae and their shit, she gets 'Human time' with her friend Nate."

Lauren simply nodded before shifting her position on the mattress,

"Do you mind if I sleep on the outside?"

Bo shook her head, "Lauren, if I have to get to Lulu..."

"I'll get to her, Bo."

"She's my responsibility."

"Actually, she's my responsibility too."

"Look, I appreciate you wanting to take responsibility for my daughter... you're clearly bonding with her very quickly, but I would never expect you to lay down your life for her."

Lauren sat down on the edge of the air mattress, "Actually, I would."

Bo sat beside Lauren, "Lolo, that's not your responsibility and... I could never lose either of you. I need you safe. I don't want you caught up in something that isn't your fault."

Lauren sighed, "It may not be my fault, but it's part of my journey. You and Lulu are part of my journey. Things were set in motion a very long time ago... things that neither of us could have foreseen. While we were apart, you were following the path that had been laid for you by others... Hades, your Grandfather, your Mother... Rainer and Lulu... it was all part of your destiny."

Bo nodded, "Yea, all of it was sort of thrown in my face tonight. I'm still not sure I understand how I even came to exist, but to be told all of these things happened so that I could be this Chosen One... it's a lot to wrap my head around."

"Tell me about it." Lauren sighed.

There was a long moment of silence before Bo asked, "Are you going to tell me where you've been? What Tamsin did to you?"

"Tamsin is my teacher and nothing more. She helped me to get to where I was supposed to be."

"And where is that?" Bo asked, noticing the tiny bumps on Lauren's skin, "Look, I'll slide in first, but then we'll switch, okay?"

Lauren grinned, "I make no promises."

Bo smiled in response, "Will you at least promise to tell me what I want to know?"

The blonde nodded, "To the best of my ability."

The pair settled into the bed with Lauren's head resting on Bo's shoulder while the Succubus lay on her back. The silence was deafening as Lauren struggled to a way to start... to explain to Bo that none of what had happened to her was her fault. She desperately wanted her friend to know that single fact above all else, but she feared that somehow her Izzy would find a way to do just that. She had always owned her faults more so than anyone she had ever met.

"Lauren?"

The blonde looked up at the brunette, "Sorry... I just... I don't know where to start."

Bo kissed her forehead, "The beginning is usually the logical starting point. Why not try that?"

"You are so wise." Lauren quipped.

"Well, my wisdom comes from you, oh wise one."

The pair shared a brief moment of laughter before Lauren took a deep breath and began,

"As you know, medical school was always my dream... more importantly, Harvard was my parent's expectation."

"I remember." Bo acknowledged.

"Well, after everything happened with Kyle and people started accusing you, I defended you to my parents and... Well, we had a falling out. My parents told me that if I didn't "fall in line" and go with what the police wanted me to say in court, that they would disown me, college tuition, inheritance and all. I didn't believe it was you... no way you would have hurt Kyle intentionally. It turns out I was right."

"Lauren..."

"Uh-uh... listening?"

Bo pouted and Lauren continued, "Yale had offered me a full academic scholarship, so I enrolled in the ROTC to pay my room and board. I thought I would see the world traveling with the military, but I never expected that we would actually be at war when I came out. So... it was four years in Afghanistan putting soldiers back together. It took its toll being surrounded by so much death, so I decided I wanted to get into medical research. It's much easier finding cures in a lab than treating the dying."

"That couldn't have been an easy time for you. I'm sorry you had to go through that."

Lauren nodded, "Well, you weren't exactly living spring break on repeat, Bo. Besides, after close to a decade with the Fae, I've learned that everything happens for a reason. My parents wealth allowed me competitive training in fencing, archery, marksmanship and equestrian events which did a lot to prepare me mentally for basic training and working in a M.A.S.H. unit."

"Lucky you."

Lauren laughed, "Well, I applied everywhere for research grants and quickly had my choice of four. I chose to go to the Congo and I invited my girlfriend at the time, Nadia, to come with me. She was interning with National Geographic Magazine, so they actually paid her expenses to go. Everything seemed to fall into place, but then the plague hit and the Ash at the time heard about my unique research skills. I found the cure and also learned that they weren't just people, but Fae. Nadia suddenly became very ill. The cure didn't work on her, so the Ash offered me all of his resources in exchange for my commitment to the Light Fae."

"You became a slave."

Lauren nodded, "I didn't understand what the commitment meant at the time... I wasn't part of their world. It seemed so innocent. Anyway, over the years, I learned exactly what it meant to be Human in the Fae world. There were several events that almost wiped out the Fae and each time, the Ash called upon me to figure out a way to save them. He assembled a team of the strongest Fae for me to lead, but it turned out that they were mostly just outcasts from their clans. I needed information and that's why Dyson took me to Trick."

Lauren could feel Bo shift uncomfortably beneath her. She knew it was a bad topic right now, but Bo needed to know there was another point of view.

"Trick became my mentor. Frankly, if it wasn't for him I wouldn't be here... maybe none of us would. He helped me work through problems at all hours of the night until we had a viable solution. Dyson was resistant to my leadership, after all, he's a proud wolf, but gradually, I earned his respect. Once I had his respect, it was relatively easy to gain the respect of the rest of my team. Vex rarely takes anything seriously, but he's powerful and very protective of me. Dyson has become my best friend. He helped me to learn how to defend myself against the Fae who wanted me dead."

"Dead?"

Lauren shrugged, "Evony threatened to kill Trick. I stopped her."

"How?" Bo asked.

"I used her DNA to create a serum that turned her Human."

"She was Fae?"

"More than that, she was the Morrigan of the Dark."

Bo sat up, "You took down the leader of one of their teams?"

Lauren nodded, "They weren't too happy with me for quite some time. I'm still trying to figure out a way to cure her, but unfortunately she's been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. There's no cure for that and a lot of very intelligent scientists have been working on a cure for that one for a very, very long time. The disease is too far advanced for me to chance turning her Fae now. I don't think her cells would handle it. I think the cure for her Humanity would literally kill her."

"That's a lot of power. Do you still have the serum?" Bo asked quietly.

"The serum takes a long time to make and has to be tailored specifically to the target's DNA."

"So... you couldn't turn Lulu and I into Humans?"

"Bo..."

"It would solve a lot of our problems, don't you think?"

"Bo, we'll take care of this threat, I know it. We're going to win this battle."

"But what about us? How will I ever be able to have a full relationship with you without killing you?"

Lauren lay her head back down on Bo's chest, wrapping an arm around her, "That's a conversation for another time, okay?"

Bo was silent, so Lauren continued with her story, "So, after we had defeated several big and bad threats, I was declared the Champion of the Light and given a seat on the council. One of the members of the council, Aspera, is a Witch. After a particularly difficult battle, I was the victim of a mortal wound. Tamsin flew me to Aspera and she performed some sort of ritual that kept me alive."

"Ritual?"

Lauren nodded, "She said I would no more in time, but that Tamsin did what she needed to do to fulfill a prophecy long known to the Valkyrie. It was then that I was told that I had a role to play and I needed to stay alive at all costs to fulfill my destiny. When I asked what she did to me, I was only told all would be revealed when need be. It was about five months ago that Aspera and Acacia came to me and explained what had been set in motion."

Lauren took Bo's silence as an indication that she was waiting to hear what that was, so taking a deep breath, she continued,

"When I received the wound, I was dead. Aspera used Tamsin's blood in the ritual to give birth to me."

"The Prophecy I read."

Lauren nodded, "I was given a Valkyrie rebirth and am currently living the first of many, many lives. I have been training with Acacia and Tamsin several times a day for months. Most Valkyrie are schooled from birth. I had a lot of catching up to do. When I left the other night, it was to complete my final transition."

"You're a Valkyrie now?"

Lauren nodded, "I am a Valkyrie in body and duty. I'm still trying to reconcile the doctor part of me with the part that is now telling me that I must kill to defend the innocent and weak. I've spent the last decade saving lives, not taking them."

"So... your aura..."

Lauren struggled to give voice to the words. She hadn't yet been able to say them to herself.

"Lauren?"

She looked up at Bo who saw the tears in the blonde's eyes and gave her a gentle kiss on the mouth, "It's okay, Lauren. Tell me."

A single tear escaped, "I'm... I'm no longer Human, Bo... I'm a Valkyrie... but more specifically, you see my aura as slightly different than that of a Valkyrie because I'm what's called a Changeling... but... well, I am... Fae."

Bo knew why Lauren was crying. She had cried when she learned she wasn't normal too. It was difficult to give up your Humanity to a race that always seemed to be at war with itself and after hearing Lauren's story, she was pretty sure she felt the same way.

"Lauren, being Fae doesn't mean you have to give up the very core of what makes you the Lolo I grew up with... you're still you... you can still have your humanity."

The blonde sighed, "But that's just it, Bo. Each and every training session, I can feel a bit more of my humanity slipping away. I know it laying her with you right now because if a Hunter came into this cabin, I wouldn't hesitate to kill them before they could get more than two feet inside the door. When I think of them and all they're trying to do, the anger fills my very soul. I want to fight, Bo. I want to kill anyone who tries to harm you or Lulu."

Bo nodded, "You took the Life Oath. That's why you wanted to be on the outside of the mattress."

Lauren replied in a whisper, "I did."

"So are you in this bed with me out of duty or..."

Lauren sat up, looking down at Bo, "Please don't think for one minute that I would share this bed with you out of a sense of duty."

Lauren sat up fully, crossing her legs in front of her and taking a deep breath. Pushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear, she looked at Bo,

"I knew when I was twelve."

"Knew what?"

"That I loved you. That I would always love you."

Bo sat up, leaning back on her hands as Lauren continued, "We were selling lemonade and Mattie Baron came up to the table..."

Bo shook her head at the memory, "He asked me why I was hanging around with the ugliest girl in the neighborhood."

Lauren smiled, "You told him it was because Becky Edwards was a nice girl and that you picked your friends because of who they were, not how they looked."

The two shared a laugh before Lauren could finish. Through happy tears, Lauren added, "And then you picked up our whole cooler of lemonade and dumped it over his head."

Bo replied, "And then I told him I did it just in case he had planned to insult my best friend Lauren."

"His Mom came over and told my Mom what you did." Lauren laughed.

"And that was the beginning of your Mom saying I was bad news and that you couldn't hang out with me." Bo replied.

Lauren continued, "We started the tree house a year later and had it built one piece of wood at a time by the end of that year."

"Of course, old Mr. Winters never did admit that he worked on it when we weren't there." Bo said.

Lauren nodded, "I don't think that thing would have actually stayed in the tree if he hadn't. Of course, the rebuild was masterful."

Bo laughed, "The proof is that it's still standing today."

"With a little maintenance from the owners."

Bo nodded as the two settled into a comfortable silence, their eyes focused on where their hands were sharing gentle caresses and touches.

"I'm sorry you had to lose your Humanity to fulfill this prophecy, Lolo."

"Izzy, please don't blame yourself... I don't. This is what had to be to save the world from Hades. When I am able to keep my mind focused on that point, I can reconcile the Human I used to be with the Valkyrie I am now."

"How's that?"

"By fighting as hard as I can... by protecting you and Lulu... by being the best warrior I can possibly be, I'll be saving lives... I'll be saving the Humanity of the world... and maybe then, when there is peace, this anger will be gone with the battle fought to earn it."

Bo nodded, "It would have been nice to choose the kind of Fae you became."

Lauren agreed, "Well, the Fae that took me to the Witch had Valkyrie blood, so that is where my change had to being. I guess it's a blessing."

"How's that?" Bo asked.

Lauren shrugged, "If not Tamsin, it would have been Dyson and I would be a wolf... or some other animal shifter."

Bo nodded and Lauren immediately recognized that she was considering the option, "You would rather I be a wolf?"

Bo blushed, "No... I mean... well..."

Lauren gave Bo a tight smile, nodding her head, "I see... the feed. You liked his chi."

"Oh trust me, your chi tasted much, much, much better. It's just that his gave me quite the boost."

"Well, you almost sucked him dry so I'm not surprised. Besides, Acacia and Tamsin told me that the path to Faedom was as much for you as it was for what I would have to accomplish."

"How's that?"

"Apparently, a Valkyrie's chi is quite intoxicating for a Succubus. But they also cautioned that there should be love and intimacy with those feeds, otherwise you take the Valkyrie's life force."

Bo nodded, "I shorten the Valkyrie's life unless I'm feeding specifically on sexual chi rather than life chi as I do now."

Lauren nodded, "And that would shorten my life span... well... as long as I'm a Valkyrie."

"You won't always be a Valkyrie? Your Faeness is temporary?" Bo asked.

Lauren shook her head, "No, that's permanent. Remember, I'm specifically a Changeling... I was born of Valkyrie blood and the spell of a White Witch."

"A White Witch?"

"It's a witch who uses good magic... magic born of love from a pure soul. If my soul weren't love at its core, she would not have been able to save me. Tamsin was sure I was good to my very core. It's how she knew that the White Witch could change me... that and she had a dream about it."

"So... this Changeling thing... what will happen to you?"

"A Changeling adapts to its circumstance."

"Like a shifter?"

"I don't change form, my powers adapt and change as needed. Right now I'm a Valkyrie because Tamsin's blood is what gave me life. The White Witch was the other part of me. When you combine the blood of a Fae with the powers of the witch, you get a Changeling who will continually evolve as needed."

"So you don't know what will happen? Will you... will you die when this battle ends?"

Lauren smiled, shaking her head, "No, Bo. As a matter of fact, my life span will likely be quite a bit longer than the average Fae. I'll live for thousands of years as long as... well... Fae are not immortals."

"Believe me, I've had enough close calls to know that fact. My determination to not leave Lulu to be an orphan living on her own is what keeps me going."

"But you can heal with a full feed." Lauren replied.

"Yes, but I'm not willing to do full feeds." Bo replied with a frown.

Lauren nodded, "Why do you avoid full feeds?"

Bo shrugged, "I don't want to bring another child into the hell I'm living, Lauren. I mean... would I love to have more kids some day if I knew their lives wouldn't be threatened every minute of every day, yes – definitely. I just... well, I was taught that Succubus pregnancies are a very rare occurrence, but I slept with Rainer once and bam! I won't take that chance again. If things get really bad and I need sex to heal, I use women to feed... no chance of a pregnancy blunder."

"I see." Lauren replied, as the realization of Bo having sex with others suddenly became very real.

"Lauren, I want to be monogamous with you... I don't want to feed off of anyone else."

The blonde nodded, "But realistically, that may not always be possible, Bo."

"I will not allow my biology to come between us. If you don't want me to have sex to heal, I won't. I'll wait until I get to you."

"Bo, you can't do that." Lauren huffed, "Look... I want you healthy and to do that, you have to take what you need when it happens. Promise me you won't allow yourself to become weak, or worse. I'll handle it, Bo. It won't be easy, but I will. Just... please... no one from our team, okay? I mean... unless it's an absolute emergency. It would just be..."

"Weird... awkward... uncomfortable..." Bo quipped.

"All of the above." Lauren squeezed up her face.

The pair sat in comfortable silence before Lauren asked, "So... are you okay with this... with me?"

"Lauren, you could be a three-headed dog and I would still love you. I just want to make sure that you don't lose yourself. I want you for you... I don't need you to be Human or Fae. I just need you to be my Lolo... but... I wish I knew more about what you would become."

"Well, that's what my training with the Witch has been for this past year. We focus on maintaining the light inside me. That all of my actions come from love... to defend love... to fight against evil from a place of love."

Bo nodded, "I think I get that."

"And as for being your little Lolo? I think it's safe to say that little Lolo is all grown up now."

Bo allowed her eyes to travel up and down the blonde's body, "She certainly is and I must say, she grew up in all the right places."

Lauren chuckled, "So are we going to have another make out session tonight?"

Bo smiled, "Is that a green light for me to put the moves on you?"

The brunette pulled the blonde closer. Draping her arms around Bo's neck, Lauren replied,

"You've got moves?"

"You have no idea."

Lauren chuckled, "Okay, give me your best pick up line."

Bo laughed, "If you were a vegetable, you'd be a cute-cumber."

"Ohmygawd, that's horrible!'

"Okay, okay... how about... do you have a pencil because I want to erase your past and write our future."

"Okay, well... that's a little less horrible, but still not worthy of a Succubus." Lauren laughed.

"Hey! That one wasn't bad."

Lauren laughed, "Seriously? You're a Succubus! Have you no pride in your kind? You have no game whatsoever."

"Okay, okay... try this one..." Bo laughed.

Lauren just shook her head knowing that another horrible line was coming. Where in the world did she get these lines?

"Did you sit in a pile of sugar, because you have a pretty sweet ass." Bo's eyes flashed blue, "Whoa... turned myself on with that one."

"Well, I'm glad that worked on one of us."

Lauren kept up the banter... this was fun. She's never been with anyone where she could have such playful foreplay... where laughter was part of the process. Wait... was this foreplay?

"Aw, come on, Lolo."

"Last try, Succubus. If you can't nail this one, I'm going outside for my duty."

"I'm trying to nail you, but you're playing hard to get! Wait... so this IS about duty?"

"No, this is about us... and about me teaching you something about being a Succubus." Lauren laughed.

"Well, if God made anything more beautiful than you, I'm sure she'd keep it for herself."

"Cheesy, but very sweet and bonus points for calling God a she." Lauren smiled, as Bo pushed her hair back behind her ear, "Seriously... Izzy... I've loved you since we were kids. I've dreamed of having a chance at a future with you and the more time I spend with you and Lulu, the more I want this life. I'm sure I'm falling in love with you, Bo and I just want to be clear... this isn't some fling for me. If you aren't on the same page, I want to stop this before it goes any further. All of these years with the Fae... losing Nadia..."

"She died?"

Lauren nodded, "One of the big bads we fought got to her."

"I'm sorry."

"The Fae spent most of the first five years I was with them ruining my life... tearing me down. It wasn't until I found my purpose and they started to respect Humans that they became tolerable. Now... like it or not... I'm one of them... one of you. I want to find happiness and I want that to be with you, but I can't handle another heartbreak, Bo. I'm worried about what that would do to me now that I'm a Valkyrie... well, a Changeling."

"Lauren..."

"No, Bo. You need to hear me. Tamsin and Acacia warned me. I'm a warrior by nature now and the draw to battle is in me... I can feel it. They told me that love, mating, marriage... it's all approached very carefully by Valkyrie because losing a love can also mean losing yourself to the grief that follows. My sisters would be there for me to try to keep the darkness at bay, but I need you to understand, Bo...

I'll evolve with my circumstance."

"What does that mean, Lauren?"

"I'm born from White magic, Bo. Allowing darkness into my soul could destroy that magic."

"So it could destroy you."

Lauren nodded.

"I have no intention of hurting you, Lauren but if something should happen to me or to Lulu, I wouldn't want you to lose yourself to the darkness."

Lauren shrugged, "Well then let's just make sure nothing happens to either of you."

Bo nodded.

"Bo, the Witch is coming here to meet with you. She'll answer your questions."

"I don't want her casting any of her spells around here."

Lauren shook her head, "Her power comes from her land. Here, she'll have no power."

"She's willing to come here and allow herself to be vulnerable?" Bo asked.

"To meet the Chosen One, are you kidding? You're a celebrity in the Fae world, Bo. Get used to it."

"Yea, well that'll never happen." Bo sighed, "I'd will talk to this witch. I have questions about what she did to you."

"And she will answer them."

"Good."

They sat in silence, each of them taking in the conversation for a moment before Bo turned to stoke the fire. When she finished, she laid down on the side closest to the fire, giving Lauren the strategic position. It felt uncomfortable, but she knew that she needed to trust Lauren if they were going to move forward in their relationship. She was a Valkyrie... a Changeling... and she would protect this home and the people in it at all costs.

"Lolo?"

"Yes, Bo?" Lauren replied, lying down next to Bo.

"I don't have a library card, but do you mind if I check you out?"

"I'm falling in love with a Succubus who has no game."

The pair giggled as Bo pulled Lauren on top of her, their laughter growing as they looked into each other's eyes. As the quiet settled back in, they remained locked on the other, Lauren adjusting her legs to intertwine with Bo's before their lips met in a soft, sweet kiss.

"I'm never going to get tired of the feel of your lips. It took every fiber of my being to leave you and go to Prom after that first kiss years ago. It was everything I'd dreamed it would be."

Lauren smiled, gently moving her lips up and down across Bo's, "Well, my dream went a bit further after the first kiss, but the kiss was definitely all I thought it would be."

"Wait a second... rewind... how much further did your first kiss dream go?"

"Much further."

"Like... further further?"

"Like... all-the-way further."

"Mmmm... I see."

"Not yet you haven't."

Bo looked up towards the balcony, "Will we ever get alone time again?"

Lauren laughed, "If we stay in your bedroom we will."

"Will you be allowed to... I mean... are you allowed to be with me? I mean... does that go against the duty code some how?"

"Bo, I'm technically an extra on the Valkyrie team. I'm part of the prophecy and am expected to be by your side beyond the duty patrol. I mean... look... I don't want us to be together just because some piece of paper says we should. I want us to be together because..."

Lauren stopped, silenced by a finger over her lips, "That's exactly why we're here, Lauren. I told you... I'm falling in love with you too and I have no intention of trying to climb back up on that mountain. I'm committed to the free fall... no holding back."

"No holding back." Lauren smiled.

"So, is there some sort of code that will keep Dara's eyes off of us so we can have a little privacy?"

Lauren looked up and nodded towards Lulu's room. Bo followed Lauren's eyes to see the Valkyrie disappear inside of her daughter's room.

"So... creepy communication abilities?"

"Nope. We already had this discussion."

"What discussion?"

"She was here for our last make out session. She asked me for some heads up this time so she could duck into Lulu's room before we actually got hot and heavy."

"We were not hot and heavy. We were just kissing and grinding a bit."

"Yea, but Dara's a Fae-married Valkyrie and she hasn't seen her partner for six months. She's a little..."

"...Horny?"

Lauren nodded, laughing before placing a light kiss on Bo's mouth, "We're alone now."

"And I intend to take full advantage of that fact, Changeling."

"Me too, Succubus."

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_


	4. Chapter 4: The White Witch Comes

**A/N:** Moving along... in many ways, quite literally in this chapter. Thanks so much for your reviews. I tried to respond to as many as I could and still have time to finish this chapter. It's a big one, so we'll see who finds a way to read it all in one go. The Lauren/Kenzi relationship starts to develop in this chapter... a little rocky to start, but I promise it's not going to be as stubborn as the original. All change takes time and there are a lot of things shifting very quickly for these ladies. Be patient with them as they work through the changes.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 _ **Chapter 4: The White Witch Comes**_

It had been three days since Bo's meeting with her new team... a group Evony had tagged the Happy Sunshine Gang. She was frustrated beyond belief with the entire situation. Her life had never been lollipops and roses, but she and Lulu had a pattern... a schedule... a routine and now, that had exploded out of her control.

As she sat staring out the window at the snow-covered forest that had always been her home. The lake side of the cabin was mostly windows with a cushioned storage bench that ran the full length of the glass. The snow made it hard to see where the lake began since it was frozen solid, but when the thaw came, this view was the best one on the mountain. She had intentionally built the cabin here so the forest would camouflage their home, yet still give them a glimpse of the water in the distance. It was usually so peaceful... especially early in the morning after breakfast when Lulu would usually settle down with a book after eating breakfast.

But today, like every other day for the past two weeks, the morning was anything but quiet... and it was beginning to unnerve her. She realized that this was the first time in ten years that she had guests. The worst part is that none of them had been invited, although one particular guest was certainly quite welcome despite the shouts, grunts and clanging of swords outside the window.

The Valkyrie were having their morning training session and this one seemed to lag on for much longer than usual. Lauren had been worried about today's assembly because Acacia was running the drills... that meant that Tamsin would be her training partner rather than her teacher. Bo had been trying to find her Lolo in the sea of blondes for the last minute, but when she was much smaller in stature than the rest, it made it difficult to separate her from the others. Of course, Bo was counting on the extra pair of eyes scanning the land,

"There! Momma! Do you see her! She's fighting Tamsin! I hope she knocks her on her butt!"

"Lulu! We shouldn't wish bad things to happen to the people who are trying to protect us." Bo replied, seeing Lauren just in time to watch Tamsin swing down so hard, the Doctor dropped to one knee.

The youngster looked at her Momma, "But that's your Lolo. Do you want Tamsin to knock her on her butt?"

"No, of course not. It's just... oh forget it." Bo replied.

"I thought so."

Bo shook her head, "You really need to stop hanging out with Aunt Kenzi so much."

"Nah, she keeps me real."

"I know... too real." Bo mumbled. The brunette was trying to be a good mother and teach her daughter not to wish ill will on others, but deep down inside, she wanted Lauren to kick Tamsin's ass so the older Valkyrie would stop referring to her as 'rookie'. She wasn't sure what it was about the Valkyrie that rubbed her the wrong way... she was prepared to lay her life on the line for the Dennis family, but still... Bo wouldn't mind seeing her get a small wound... like... maybe Lauren's sword nicking her perfect little face.

"Yes!" Lulu shouted, raising her arms over her head as Bo mimicked the same response, "Did you see that Momma? Lauren used that sweep move she showed me when we were having our broom stick battle!"

Bo smiled, "She did. Looks like you got your wish, Tamsin's on her butt."

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"I wished Tamsin would fall on her butt and she did."

Bo's eyebrows knit together as she looked at her daughter, "Lu, do you think you made that happen?"

"Aunt Kenzi says it's something called karma."

"Karma is when something bad happens to you because you did something bad to someone else. Why would that be karma for Tamsin?"

"Because she wished something bad on someone else."

"Who?"

"Aunt Evony."

"What? What did she say?"

Lulu walked along the cushioned benches and came to sit on Bo's lap, "She said she hoped that Evony got wrinkles and all of her hair fell out."

Bo tried not to laugh, but she could totally see the Valkyrie making that comment, "Well, I guess Tamsin deserved to be on her butt then."

Lulu nodded, "Total karma."

Bo chuckled, "Are you ready for your training session?"

Lulu shrugged, "I guess."

"Lu, what's wrong?"

"I'd rather train with you than that Stella lady. She's all serious all the time and she doesn't explain things too well. Kenzi says she's high on her Faeness."

Bo silently cursed her best friend as she continued to listen to her daughter, "...and then she says stuff like 'Lulabelle, you must find your inner Fae and become as one', 'Lulabelle, you must react more quickly', Lulabelle, Lulabelle, Lulabelle! I hate that she calls me by my real name! And besides, what does 'find your inner Fae and become as one' even mean, Momma? The lady makes no sense!"

Bo laughed, "I see what you mean, Lu. I think she's trying to tell you to listen to the part of you that isn't Human."

"And do you know how to do that?"

Bo nodded and allowed her eyes to glow blue before shifting them back to brown.

"Momma, tell me how you do that!"

"I call to my Succubus and she just sort of takes over. I guess you could say it feels sort of like when you sit in the bathtub and I fill it up with water around you. She just sort of rises up inside me and does what needs to be done or takes what she needs. How do you make your eyes glow violet when you have to see in the dark?"

"I dunno. It just sorta happens... it always has."

"And what about the time you made that tree fall on the Hunter?" Bo asked.

Lulu shrugged, "I don't remember, Momma. I fell asleep right after it happened."

Bo smiled, "Well, that was a big tree and it took a lot of power for you to move it."

"I don't care. He woulda hurt you if I didn't do it."

Bo nodded, hating the memory of watching her little girl scream as a Hunter ran her through with the sword. The look of fear followed by the surge of power that emanated through the forest was something that Bo would not soon forget. She remembered the sensation of her Succubus taking control after Lulu toppled the tree and passed out. Her Fae had pulled chi from multiple Hunters in response, healing the worst of her wound so she could run to Lulu and push chi into the child's limp body.

"Momma? Don't think about it, okay?"

Bo looked up at her child's face and smiled, "I'm just glad that my Succubus took control that day.

Lulu leaned her head against Bo's chest, "But what if she takes more than someone can give?"

Bo sighed, "Well, that's when people die. I'm getting better at teaching her how to control that."

"Like with Lauren?"

"I told you, Lu. Lolo isn't Human anymore." Bo looked out the window, "She's Fae now."

"Is she not mad about us calling her that anymore?"

Bo smiled, "No, she's not and... uh... she didn't hear what your real name is, did she?"

Lulu laughed, "Are you worried she'll find out that I'm named after you?"

"No, of course not." Bo defended.

"Yes, you are."

"Okay. It's just... I'm afraid she'll think it's weird. I mean... I was with your Dad and I named you after..."

"Me!"

"Shhh... they're finished, Lu. She could walk in at any moment. Promise me you won't tell Lolo."

"Fine, but I noticed she's calling you Izzy and not Bo. You like it, don't you." Lulu giggled.

Bo laughed, "Only when it's just us. We don't call each other those names in front of other people, okay?"

"Why not?"

"Because that's private. Just for me and Lolo."

"And me?"

"And our Lu, too." Bo smiled, tweaking her daughter's nose.

Lulu nodded, "So... Lolo is a Changeling, right?"

"That's what they say." Bo replied, lifting her eyes to check on her girlfriend.

"Is she scared?" Lulu asked.

Bo pondered her daughter's question, watching as Lauren stepped into a circle of five Valkyrie. Her eyes flashed blue for a moment, but she quieted her Succubus, reminding her that they needed to trust their Lolo... she could and would protect herself. Assured that her Succubus was satisfied that Lauren was safe, she turned to Lulu,

"I think maybe a little. I mean, she was Human and then all of a sudden, she wasn't. Plus, the kind of Fae she is... well, she'll never be exactly what she is now and she doesn't know what that will be in the future. Lauren has had a long medical career of learning about all of the types of Fae. Now she's something that she's never heard of. I think she does better with things she knows."

"I gave her my book on Changelings so I didn't get to read it yet. I wanna read all about her kind when she's done with it."

Bo nodded, "It was nice of you to do that for her. Thank you, Lu. They've been keeping her busy, so I don't think she's had a chance to read it yet. I think she wants to wait until after the meeting tomorrow night."

"Will the White Witch tell us what Lolo's gonna be?"

"I hope so, Lu. Are you nervous about meeting her?"

"A little. You and Lolo won't leave me alone with her, right?"

"Absolutely not, Lu."

"Then I won't be nervous."

The door opened, drawing the attention of the Mother and Daughter. Lulu was off the bench in a flash, running and jumping into Lauren's arms,

"You knocked Tamsin on her butt!"

Lauren laughed, but Tamsin wasn't amused, "Easy there, kid. It's the first time she's bested me and definitely the last. I was distracted."

Lulu frowned, "But I remember yesterday when you were yelling at her Lauren that distractions were unacceptable for a Valkyrie. You said my Momma was a distraction from her duty."

Lauren cringed as she looked past Bo who was on her feet and heading straight for Tamsin.

"You told Lauren what?" Bo asked, standing toe-to-toe with the Valkyrie.

"You heard the kid. I told your girlfriend the truth. You're a distraction. She has a job to do and having sleepovers with you is a waste of manpower."

Bo ran her eyes down Tamsin's body, zeroing in on her pelvis. The Valkyrie was clearly uncomfortable and lowered her hands,

"What are you looking at?"

"You said manpower... I was checking to see if you had man parts." Bo smirked.

"It's a figure of speech."

"Yea, well take your figure and your speech elsewhere. You are no longer welcome in my home." Bo said flatly.

"Well, I don't take orders from you." Tamsin replied, pulling a glass out of the cabinet until she felt a hand on her wrist. She turned to see Bo's eyes blazing blue,

"I said, you are no longer welcome in my home. Leave."

Tamsin turned on Bo, "And I said, I don't take my orders from you. I am here to protect you and yours. I'm not going anywhere."

"Tamsin."

The blonde rolled her eyes at the sound of Acacia's voice, "Take the front door."

"I drew inside duty, Mistress."

"Front door. Now!"

Tamsin leaned in, "This isn't over. You're going to learn to accept that I'm right."

She moved past Bo, but the Succubus stopped her, gripping her shoulder and slamming her down into the chair at the table.

"Hey!"

"Lulu, start greenhouse day with Lauren. I'll be out in a few minutes. I need to talk to Tamsin and Acacia."

"Momma..."

Bo walked over to her daughter and knelt down in front of her, "I'm fine, Lu." She leaned in and whispered to the little girl, "She's calm and not going to hurt anyone. Besides, I don't like karma. I'll play nice."

Lulu smiled wide, "Love you, Momma."

"I love you too, Lu. Don't forget to check the root vegetables today. They probably need watering."

"What if the ground froze? I don't know how to..."

Bo looked up at Lauren, "I taught Lauren how to use the furnace if it went out."

The blonde smiled at Bo, "Come on, Lu. Farmette to the rescue!"

Lulu giggled as Bo mouthed to Lauren, "Farmette?"

Lauren smiled, "I'm Smurfette, she's Farmette... when we're in the greenhouse."

"Oh. Good to know." Bo said, still not getting where the names came from, but as the two walked happily towards the back door, she didn't care. Her girls were happy and that was all that mattered right now. Sighing, she stood to face the two Valkyrie, both now seated at the table.

Taking a seat, she began, "I was sitting on the window bench with my daughter and it hit me. My ten-year-olds' home has been surrounded by an army... an army I did not invite to my property. You need to understand that for ten years, every minute of every day, it was just the two of us. We had a routine... a schedule... and most importantly, no one was influencing the way my daughter was raised but me. No one influenced how or when I fed. No one influenced how or when I defended my child, my life or my lands."

"Bo..." Acacia began, but Bo held up her hand,

"Now, I appreciate all that the Valkyrie have done for us and I certainly appreciate whatever that magic was that Tamsin did to save Lauren years ago, but you guys are overstepping some major boundaries."

She leaned forward to emphasize her point to Acacia, talking as if Tamsin wasn't in the room, "Choosing this teacher Stella without giving me any say in the matter, planting Valkyrie inside my home taking away all of our privacy, telling the woman I love and intend to build a life with that I am a distraction to some sense of duty that YOU gave her, clanking swords for hours in the morning before we would usually get up, scheduling meetings with people and giving me no choice in the matter... I'm supposed to be this Chosen One, yet you people are making all of the decisions! It needs to stop."

Tamsin slammed her hands down on the table, "Well, if you'd grow up and start doing what you need to do to prepare for the coming threat, we wouldn't have to make all of the decision for you!"

Bo turned on Tamsin, "I have been protecting these lands since I was twenty years old! You know NOTHING of what I'm prepared to do to protect the life of those I love!"

"You miss the point! YOU are the Chosen One! You die, we all die!"

"I am VERY hard to kill." Bo replied, inches from Tamsin's face.

"HUNTERS! HUNTERS!"

All three turned as the alarm was raised. Bo was off her feet in an instant, arming up before pulling on her coat.

"Tamsin, greenhouse! Acacia with me!" Bo ordered, going for the door, but the two Valkyrie stood staring at one another.

Bo's eyes blazed blue, a strong wind blowing through the cabin as she called to them again in hollow tones,

"NOW!"

Acacia was on Bo's tail as they exited while Tamsin headed out the back door to the Greenhouse, quickly flanked by two other Valkyrie sent from the front of the house by Bo.

"Surround the greenhouse, the child is inside." Tamsin ordered, entering the greenhouse and tossing a sword to Lauren, "Hunters are on the grounds. We'll want to get Lulu into the lower panic room. Ready to move?"

Lauren was shocked, "They're attacking in broad daylight?"

Tamsin nodded as the Valkyrie moved with the group inside, until they were running in formation around the child, escorting her inside as the Hunters moved on them.

"Lauren!" Lulu called as the Hunters attacked from all sides.

A spear slipped through the group but Lauren saw it coming and deflected the tip with her sword before it could touch the child. There were too many of them, so the group formed a circle, Lauren placing Lulu inside as they spun and deflected the Hunters swords while moving closer and closer to the house. Finally, they were at the door. Lauren blocked with her left and thrust with her life, taking out the Hunter on her side, then turned and picked Lulu up, carrying her into the house.

"Panic Room. GO!" Lauren said, her eyes glowing a light green.

Lulu ran for the center of the room under the Changeling's watchful eyes, settling out of sight. Once in the room, she secured the lock and moved to the corner while the sound of multiple footsteps and clanging of swords grew ever-louder overhead.

Focusing on the sounds and their positions in the room, she did as her Momma told her. She called to her inner Fae, asking for her help to save her friend Lolo and the other Valkyrie...

 _ **Meanwhile, the battle raged outside...**_

Acacia and the Valkyrie were surrounded and pinned down by archer fire.

"We must find the Chosen One! She could be injured or worse!" Acacia commanded.

Dara replied, "She moved to quickly for me, Mistress. She did something to her coat... it was like she'd disappeared before my very eyes."

"Nobody disappears in these woods."

An arrow made it past the barrier they'd built earlier in the week, striking a Valkyrie in the shoulder,

"Tara!" Acacia shouted, "Heads down, girls. Here comes another volley."

They each raised a shield, deflecting the arrows as they came while Acacia tended to the fallen Valkyrie.

"Dammit Bo! Where are you!" Acacia said as she broke off the arrow and sniffed the tip, "At least there's no poison. Ready?"

Tara nodded, bracing herself for the pain that was to come as Acacia gripped the arrow and pulled it free.

 _ **Treetops...**_

"The first thing you need to know about fighting the Hunters, Tamsin is that you don't fight them from the ground where they can see you coming." Bo whispered as she jumped from branch to branch and tree to tree, "And you never wait for them to come to the cabin. You always go out to them, but apparently, you didn't listen to the stupid Succubus who has been fighting them for ten years. Heaven forbid she should know something more about fighting a battle than the Valkyrie who have been fighting battles for probably a million years."

Taking a step back, she ran off a large branch, hurdling twenty-five yards to the next tree until she saw the next group running off towards the cabin,

"Gotcha." She scaled the tree another five feet to where she had five cylinders filled with twenty-four arrows each.

The Succubus had plenty of years to establish her routine and keeping the cylinders filled was part of that regimen. These trees were her partners in the war she'd been fighting for a decade and they'd never let her down.

Sliding back down to her perch, she loaded her bow with two arrows and drew her bow, anchoring her thumb beneath her chin and drawing the string to bisect her lips. Her knee steadied her body against the trunk that shielded her body from retaliation as she released, taking down two of her prey from behind.

She quickly draped her bow over her back and headed four trees down to her next perch, setting herself and firing, taking down one before circling around the trunk to the other side to take down the other three with one shot.

"Damn I'm good." Throwing her bow over her shoulder, she moved to where she knew things would get a bit hairy. She could only hope that if she took out one side of the barricade's attackers, the Valkyrie would be able to help her take down the other side.

Arriving at her destination, she saw twenty more Hunters firing from behind the trees beneath her.

"Shit. So much for getting help from them." She pulled her daggers, sticking one in the tree, then hurling one at a tree seventy-five yards on the other side of the barricade and another at a tree to the right of that one. She easily tossed one of her short swords into a tree to her left, hurling it like a Frisbee so it stuck perfectly.

"I could have sworn they were the ones who swore to defend me with their lives. Alas, the student becomes the teacher. Watch and learn, ladies."

Bo took a deep breath, anchoring her first arrow, choosing the target farthest away from the group and firing, taking him down easily. From there, she began picking them off,

"Two, three, four... seven... nine... twelve."

"It's the Demon Spawn! She's here! Cover and fire!"

Bo smirked, having heard the familiar chant before. Arrows flew blindly into the air without mission. Sure, they'd gotten lucky and hit her a few times in the past, but she usually had plenty of cover. In the winter though, it was a different story. The snow on the limbs made things slippery, so she had to move with more caution and more slowly.

Still, she made her way across the divide, landing on the short sword embedded in the tree, drawing her bow as she leaned her elbow against the tree for balance and fired three arrows at the Hunters now breaching the east side of the barricade,

"Fifteen... come on, girls. Get up... there's only five left and I've gotten myself a little exposed here saving you idiots who lowered your shield on the east side." Looking back to where she'd come from she shook her head, "Wow. I can't believe I made it across there without getting shot. Damn I'm good... or really, really lucky. Shit."

Bo said, quickly loading two arrows and firing at the Hunters who had spotted her. She hit her mark, but unfortunately, one of them got lucky.

"Fuck! Damn that hurts." Bo said, ducking behind the tree as arrows began to fly in her direction. She had minutes before they circled around and came at her from the other side.

Looking down at her side, she saw where the arrow had entered her body, "Shit. That's not good."

She snapped off the ends in the front and the back, taking a moment to sniff the tip, "Still haven't started using poison, huh boys? Shocker, but I'm grateful."

She moved to jump to her next perch, but an arrow clipped her thigh on take off, catching her off balance. Her hand caught the handle of the dagger, but the pain in her side was excruciating. Looking down, she saw a Hunter staring up at her,

"Hard to kill." She said as she ripped out the dagger and fell towards the ground below.

Landing on her feet, she stood and thrust the blade into the Hunters' chest before taking another arrow to her right shoulder. That was it. Now she was pissed.

Turning, she saw four Hunters moving towards her. It took only a moment for their celebratory shift to the familiar look of terror as Bo's Succubus took over, drawing the chi from all four men at once until they dropped to the ground, dead.

She could see Acacia running towards her... it was strange... her lips were moving but no sound was coming out and daylight quickly turned to darkness.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

"Bette, Joanna... get the Succubus upstairs."

"But Mistress..." Bette began, but her leader cut her off,

"Help the Chosen One heal. Go!"

The two did as they were told, taking Bo upstairs while Acacia turned to Tamsin who was tending to Lauren on the bench beneath the windows,

"What happened?"

"We were flanked in the greenhouse, but Lauren... she got Lulu into the panic room. She was... amazing. We thought she'd gone into the panic room with the child, but when we heard the swords, we realized she'd remained topside. Once we took out the threat out back, we came in. There were seven of them... she'd taken down three, but..."

Tamsin pulled up the Changeling's shirt, "Short sword, I think it may have grazed her left lung. Crossbow bolt to the shoulder and long bow arrow to the thigh."

Acacia scowled, shaking her head slowly as she traced each wound with her finger tips.

"Acacia?" Tamsin asked, but earned no response, "Acacia?"

The older Valkyrie's response came in almost a whisper, "Same wounds as Bo... how... strange."

"What?"

"Did you remove the weapons from the wounds?" Acacia asked.

"What?" Tamsin was confused.

"When you found her, did you pull out the sword, bolt and arrow?"

"Yes, I removed them myself and yes, I checked for poison. There was none."

"Strange." Acacia replied, taking the first aid kit from Tamsin and tending to the wounds. As she cleaned them, the eyes of both Valkyrie went wide.

"Acacia... what the heck is happening." Tamsin asked.

The Mistress of Valhalla replied, "She's healing... her connection to Bo is healing her."

"What?"

They both pulled back when Lauren sat up suddenly, "LULU!"

Tamsin placed a careful hand on her student's shoulder, "She's safe downstairs."

Lauren looked down at her chest and immediately saw the blood-stained bra covering her upper body, but no wound. She checked her side and thigh... no wounds,

"What happened? I mean... I remember... how am I healed?"

The sudden sound of banging and groaning came from the loft upstairs. Lauren grabbed Tamsin's sword from her sheath and was up the staircase faster than the two Valkyrie could stop her. Throwing open Bo's bedroom door, she stopped, her eyes locked on Bo's for a long moment before she scanned the two half-naked Valkyrie who were sandwiching the brunette. She stood stunned for a long moment before she dropped her sword and ran back down the stairway.

"LAUREN! LAUREN WAIT!"

Tamsin stepped in front of the blonde before she could leave, "Lauren, stop. It's not what you think."

"It looked pretty damn clear to me! Besides, you've got what you want, Tamsin. No more distractions for Lauren! Now get out of my way!"

"Lauren, that's not what I want. I mean... it was, but now... you need each other!"

"Well, clearly she has no need for me!" Lauren said as Bo called out from behind her, still pulling on her bloody shirt.

"Lauren, please! I didn't know!"

Lauren turned on Bo, a pained expression of disbelief on her face, "You didn't know? You didn't know you were having sex, Bo? That's a good one."

The blonde pushed Tamsin aside and headed for the back door, pulling it open, she heard Bo call out to her,

"LAUREN! Please! Don't do this! You PROMISED you would try to understand!"

Hesitating for a moment, the blonde walked out of the house and into snowy battlefield.

"Tessa, Mara, Samantha... stay with her." Acacia ordered, tossing Tessa a sword for her sister, "Keep her safe."

"Where's Lulu?" Bo asked, looking around, "WHERE's..."

"Easy, Bo. She's in the panic room." Tamsin replied.

"Shit. She can hear everything!"

Bo moved to the carpet, "Lu, come out!"

Pulling open the door, Bo was met with glowing purple eyes. She sighed and moved down the steps, looking up at Acacia before she fully descended,

"Again, you took decisions from me. I expect you to explain that to Lauren, because I'm not sure that she understands the Human me would not have had control over the natural instinct my Succubus would have had to keep me alive. And IF I get another chance, know that Lauren is more than enough for me."

"Bo... she had identical wounds to yours. She was not conscious to heal you."

"Well then, after she healed, she could have..."

Acacia shook her head, interrupting, "Listen to me, Bo. Her wounds were absolutely identical to yours. I believe she got them when you got them. She doesn't have healing abilities that we are aware of and no one was here to help her heal. She healed as you healed."

"What?"

"I watched her wounds close up myself. The timing was perfect from when I sent my sisters to you. She healed at the same time you healed."

Bo's eyes welled up with tears, "So she was wounded by the wounds I got?"

Acacia shook her head, but Tamsin responded, "I found her with a short sword, crossbow bolt and an arrow in her. She was here, defending the panic room entrance. We thought she went into the room with Lulu. We didn't know or... I swear I would have been in here with her, Bo."

"Well, someone needs to go explain what happened to her because she is definitely not going to listen to me right now. She thinks I cheated on her and... we... we were waiting..."

Acacia nodded, "I'm sorry, Bo. I didn't think... I just knew you needed to stay alive. There really was no other way."

"A kiss, Acacia. A kiss is enough to start me pulling chi if I have any semblance of consciousness. If I'd fed enough from chi alone, Lauren would probably have..."

"Bo, she would have been too weak for you to pull any more chi from her and definitely too weak to respond to... that."

Bo sighed, "I'm going to talk to Lulu now. Please find her and talk to her."

"I give you my word." Acacia replied.

"What can I do?" Tamsin asked.

Bo looked up, "You've done enough."

"Bo..."

"No, Tamsin." She said, looking down at Lulu then back to Tamsin, "Did anyone check on Kenzi in the tree house?"

"She's fine."

"Okay then. Well, you wanted Lauren undistracted... now you might just get to see just how she is when we're apart. This is what you wanted. You said the words. You don't get to take them back. If you really want to help, clean up the greenhouse and burn those bodies in the yard. Then, find a way to make those areas more secure. If they're going to attack in the daylight now, I need to know that Lulu and Kenzi are safe. Once you've done all of that, you can stay the hell away from me... that would be a great help."

"Bo..." Tamsin began, but the trap door closed, leaving Tamsin alone in the cabin. She sat for a long moment, trying to figure out where everything went wrong, but decided to focus her energies on the tasks the Succubus had asked her to do.

Sighing, she went upstairs to grab her short sword and found her two Valkyrie sisters unconscious in the bed. Rousing them, they blushed before quickly dressing and standing at attention before the second in command.

"Speak of this to no one... ever... especially not to Lauren. And don't gossip about it... you never know when someone is going to overhear that shit."

"Yes, ma'am." They said in tandem.

"Come on then. We have bodies to clean up and a new security system to install."

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

"Lauren! Lauren STOP!"

"What could you possibly have to say to me right now, Acacia?" Lauren turned and rolled her eyes when she saw not one, but three Valkyrie with her, "What is this? I need protection now?"

"Lauren, they targeted you, otherwise, they would have left when they entered the cabin and didn't see Lulu or Bo."

"Fine, then put on your walking shoes, because I need air."

"Lauren, it was me!"

"YOU cheated on me? YOU were having sex with two of my sisters?"

"Lauren, you need to turn off those hyped up emotions and listen to me. I need to talk to the Doctor right now."

Lauren took a few deep, cleansing breaths before sitting on a large boulder, "Fine. What?"

"About fifteen of us were pinned down in the barricade." Acacia explained, "We were surrounded by Hunters and couldn't get out. Bo... I don't know how, but... she took them out... all of them. We never killed a single one. They all came so fast, we had no choice but to go for cover and when we did, we were surrounded. But that crazy Succubus wouldn't come into the barricade. She knew and she ran for the woods, doing something to her coat that apparently makes her blend into the trees."

Lauren was quiet.

"I haven't talked to her about it, so I have no idea how she did it, but at some point, she fell from a tree with an arrow in her side and one in her thigh. On her way down, she took another to her shoulder. She managed to take the last one down before she passed out at my feet."

"She passed out?"

"I expect at the same time you did because when Tamsin found you, you were out cold. She picked you up and placed you on the bench before tending to your wounds as best she could. Bo was unresponsive. She wouldn't take any chi, so I decided she needed some... motivation. Now, the doctor in you knows that there's only one way to heal a Succubus fully. If you had been conscious, I assume you would have volunteered, but you weren't and she was dying Lauren. You were dying."

"Dying?"

Acacia nodded, "Spleens, femoral arteries, brachial arteries. You're only alive because Tamsin was smart enough not to pull out the weapons until she had a first aid kit. Bo knew not to pull hers out either. Can the doctor confirm my diagnosis?"

Lauren sighed, "Yes, those are mortal wounds without surgery."

"Well, we're Valkyrie. Surgery is not one of our powers and the only Doctor we know was out cold as well."

Lauren nodded as she looked around. For the first time, she realized all of the blood in the snow. There was a lot of blood. Acacia pointed towards a particularly heavy spot,

"That's where she went down right at the base of that tree."

"My Gods." Was all Lauren could say as she stared at the snow stained red with Bo's blood.

"She said you promised. What did you promise her, Lauren?"

Lauren smiled, "The night before I became fully Fae, I promised her that if she ever needed to have a full feed to heal that I would try to understand."

"If I hadn't sent those Valkyrie up there, you would both be dead right now and Lulu would be given to her closet blood relative."

"Trick." Lauren replied, "Bo would flip her lid."

"Considering he's been calling twice a day since the meeting begging for her to let him explain himself, I'd have to agree."

"I was an ass." Stated matter-of-factly.

"I don't think that's true. I mean... I think Bo understands your reaction. She's... well... this is quite an understatement... but she's quite upset with me right now for making the decision... decisions... I've made lately. She's feeling smothered and I think now I can understand why."

Lauren nodded, "We invaded her personal space without even asking permission to come. I'm just as guilty as the rest of us."

"Well, we clearly should have listened to her when she said she wanted to sit in on our battle plans. I have no idea how she did what she did. I'm pretty sure she ever set foot on solid ground."

They were interrupted by two Valkyrie, "Apologies for the interruption Mistress. We found twenty-four Hunters in total."

Acacia shook her head, smiling, "I think that's all for now then. Can we cover up the blood? We wouldn't want Lulu to see that."

"As you wish." The women responded before heading off towards the small tool shed near the cabin.

"So what now, Lauren?" Acacia asked.

Lauren stood, "Now I go apologize and follow through on my promise to be understanding."

Acacia rose to meet her student, "I'll gather the Valkyrie and make a plan to be a bit less... visible."

Lauren nodded in agreement, "I need to know if you have a problem with me seeing Bo."

Acacia shook her head, "I do not. I think Tamsin's was simply projecting her personal experiences onto you. It happens sometimes. I do want to talk to Bo about our defenses. She clearly has skill and knowledge that we do not. If we're going to help her and not hinder her, we need to learn to compliment her existing defenses. She almost died protecting her protectors. That is unacceptable."

Lauren nodded, "Sounds like a plan. I'll see you tonight at the meeting then?"

Acacia nodded, "See you there."

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

As soon as Bo settled into the old loveseat they'd put in the panic room, Lulu was in her lap, clenching tightly to her neck.

"Lu, everyone is okay. You're okay. I'm okay. Lolo is okay. All of the Valkyrie are okay."

Of course, Bo wasn't sure if that last statement was actually true or not, but since she hadn't seen any wings carrying blondes off to Valhalla, she assumed.

"They attacked Lauren. She was standing on the trap door. I couldn't get up there to help her. I had to picture it and listen, but I couldn't. Then that happened and I knew I had to do something."

Bo looked up to see where blood had leaked through the trap door, "I could smell that it was Lolo's blood. I did what you told me Stella meant and asked my Fae for help. She helped me help Lauren."

Bo nodded, "I see. And how did she do that for you?"

"She moved things... into people."

Bo squeezed her daughter a little tighter. No ten-year-old should have to live this way. Right now, she just wanted to pick her up, put her on Lauren's back and have her fly away from here. But her Lolo wasn't speaking to her and there was no way out of this mess but through it. The problem was, if she was struggling to keep her sanity, what was happening to her daughter?

"Lu, I need you to be honest with me."

"I am, Momma."

"I don't mean about your Fae, sweetie. You did what you had to do to save Lauren, right?"

Bo felt the slow nod against her chest and sighed, "Do you want to stay here... in our cabin or do you want to go back to where Lauren took you to see a computer?"

"I want things to be the way they used to be when it was just us. I know the Hunters are bad, but we were okay, right?"

"We were, Lu. It's just that... well, there's more of them now and I'm afraid I may not be able to handle them all on my own."

"But we have Lolo, right? I mean... is she okay?"

Bo smiled, "Of course, Lu. She's fine. I'm sorry I didn't say so earlier. I thought you knew."

"She was really, really angry at you."

The brunette nodded, "She was... or... is. I screwed up, Lu. I'm so sorry."

"Then you need to say I'm sorry. And you need to mean it, Momma."

Bo ran her cheek back and forth over her daughter's head, "I know, Lu. I know."

They heard footsteps above them, then the trap door opening. Bo sighed, wondering why she couldn't get any alone time with her daughter until she saw that it was Lauren.

"Everyone okay down there?"

"Lolo? Is that you?"

Lauren smiled down at the two violet eyes staring back at her.

"It's me, Lu. Are you and your Momma coming up here any time soon or should I do greenhouse day on my own? We didn't finish."

Lulu nudged Bo, "Sorry! Say you're sorry!"

Bo put Lulu on the floor and rushed up the stairway, "Lauren, I just... I'm so sorry... Gods, you'll never know how sorry I am. I just... I hope you know that if the decision had been left up to me, I would have chosen you. I mean... you would have every right to say no if you weren't ready for us to take that step, but I was waiting... I mean... I wanted us to wait because... I wanted it to be real between us when it happened. I know it sounds ridiculous coming from a Succubus, but... being with Rainer... it never felt right and when he died... I mean, I was sorry and... sad even, but... I wanted you to be there... it's always been you, Lauren. There could never be anyone else. My heart wants you and only you."

Lulu had come up a few steps and was standing just behind Bo peeking around her waist, a hopeful expression on her face. As Lauren stood there staring down at this beautiful mess of a woman and her equally beautiful daughter who'd been born into this mess she felt her world spin and her heart fill with more love than she ever thought she could feel.

"Please, Lauren. I want you... I want us... I want this family... the family I've waited my entire life to have. Please don't give up on us now. I will do everything in my power to make sure it doesn't happen again... I'd happily take the alternative rather than see that look on your face again."

"Well, we're going to have to figure out what happened to us in order to avoid what happened with you... if you know what I mean. But that's a conversation for a later time. Right now, we have a greenhouse to tend to and then a meeting after that."

Bo took a few more steps up before turning back and lifting Lulu up to Lauren's arms. Bo watched as Lu threw her arms around Lauren's neck, the blonde closing her eyes and hugging her back. The blonde opened her eyes and smiled at Bo, mouthing the words, "I love you."

Bo smiled and replied, "I love you too."

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

"Careful, Lulu. Don't cut the root." Bo reminded quietly as she helped guide her daughters' hand with the shears, "Good girl. Now, we plant it!"

Lulu smiled, looking up at Lauren, "This is how we make babies, Lo!"

Lauren laughed, "That's fantastic, Lu! So, is this deep enough?" The doctor asked, knowing the answer, but wanting to follow Bo's lead in allowing Lulu to lead the process.

"That's perfect. You catch on quick, Lo!"

Lauren knelt down to push the soil around the root, "Well, I've got an excellent teacher."

"I'm your teacher? But you're a Doctor! You know more than me!"

"Well, I've never met Miss Betty before. You know her much better than I do, so I think it's best that this patient is left to the Junior Doctor who has been providing her care all of her life."

Lulu nodded, "I grew Miss Betty from a seedling! She's my first."

Bo laughed, "Well, you never forget your first."

She and Lauren shared a long glance, their hands mingling beneath the soil for a quick moment before Lulu gave the next instructions,

"Okay, it's time for the water, Lolo!"

"This is Lu's favorite part." Bo gave Lauren a warning glance, and then whispered, "She's a little aggressive with the hose, so this is your one chance to escape before the showers begin."

Lauren smiled, "I consider myself given fair warning and ample chance for escape. Thank you, but I'll stay. This is an experience I'd rather not miss."

Bo leaned over and kissed Lauren on the cheek before she heard the crash of flower pots in the rear of the green house, "Thank goodness those were the plastic ones."

The brunette moved to where her daughter was struggling to tug the hose out, "Momma, it got all knotted up again."

"That's because you didn't coil it up the way I showed you when you put it away."

"Sorry. I had important things to do the other day. I was in a hurry." Lulu replied.

"Oh yea? And what important things were those?" Bo asked.

Lulu looked up at Lauren, "Well... since Lolo missed greenhouse day because of her emergency meeting with that Ash guy... what a weird name, by the way... she told me I could call her after we were finished so we could talk about what we planted... but I had to call her at eleven because that's when her lunch is and..."

Bo placed a finger on her daughter's lips, "...and I think I get the picture, but you're supposed to tell me before you use a phone, remember?"

"I'm sorry, Bo. I didn't know the rules. That's my fault."

Bo shook her head, "No, Lauren, it's not. Lulu knows the rules and she could have told you about them. Right Lu?"

"Yes, ma'am. I'm sorry, Momma."

Bo smiled, "I know, but you lied by omission, Lu so you know there will be consequences."

"I hate when I do that." Lulu replied.

Lauren turned away to hide her laughter, leading Bo to do the same before turning back to her daughter,

"You have to give up one book that's important to you for a week."

"Momma no!" Lulu cried.

"Lu..." Bo warned.

The little girl's shoulders sagged, "I know. Do the crime you do the time."

"That's right, my young bookworm."

"Lauren? Which one should I give up?" Lulu asked.

Lauren knelt down, in front of the little girl but looked to Bo, "Is this from her top ten list of books or top five list."

Bo began, but Lulu answered for her, "My top five. That's what makes it so hard."

"Well, since I sort of helped you get into trouble, I think it's only fair that I give up one of my top five favorite books to. Right now, the one that I really, really want to read is The Changeling by Alexander the Fae, so I'll give that one up."

"Lauren..." Bo began, but Lauren shook her head, "I told her to call me, Bo. I should have asked your permission first. You're her Mom no matter how close we may be. My sisters have taken control of your lands, your home and your schedule. By association, I've been party to all of that and the way it's affected you and your daughter. I will serve the consequences with Lulu for my part in the phone call as well as all that my sisters have done."

Bo laughed, "Sorry, but shelving a book does not come close to calling it even with Acacia and Tamsin. I don't fault the rest of the Valkyrie since they take orders from those two."

"Bo, they have your best interests in mind."

"Are you siding with them?"

Lauren shook her head, "I just want you and Lulu safe."

"We were safe before they came. Now, there are more and more Hunters every week and they're also attacking in broad daylight as of today."

Lauren nodded, "And we need to talk about that... they need to take your lead. You and I know that and we will address it."

"But not while the kid is here? Hellooo? Remember me? Kid time?" Lulu reminded.

"Sorry, Lu. That was my fault too. Okay, I'm giving up the Changeling. How about you?"

Lulu thought for a long moment before she looked up at Lauren, "I'm giving up the History of the Blood King and the Great Fae War by Alexander the Fae."

"Same author, huh? Interesting." Lauren smiled.

Bo asked, "Why that one, Lu?"

"It's the one I'm reading right now. I want to know about my Great Grandfather."

Bo froze, her eyes moving slowly to Lauren's who suddenly saw some soil that was out of place around Miss Betty's baby.

"How did you know about..."

"You guys talk a lot when I'm around. You think I'm not listening, but I hear everything, Momma. It's a thing called... uh... multi... tasking. I can do a lot of things at once."

Bo sighed and nodded, "Well, what do you think about your Great Grandfather."

"Well, I think it's not polite to answer the phone when your Grandfather calls you twice a day for a week. You should at least let him talk to you, even if you don't talk back. He's got something to say and everyone should have a voice in this world, Momma. You taught me that."

Bo flushed with embarrassment as Lauren watched her daughter put her in her place, "You're absolutely right, Lu. It was wrong of me not to take my Grandfather's call."

"So which book are you giving up?" Lulu asked with a giggle.

"I made a bad choice. I didn't lie." Bo replied essentially stopping the young girls moment.

"Okay, so punishments are settled and Momma is going to call Grandpa. Should we get back to making babies?" Lauren asked, hoping to move the heaviness of the moment back to the lighter atmosphere Bo had hoped the greenhouse day would give them to begin with.

"Absolutely. Okay, Lu. Let's untangle this mess and get Miss Betty's baby growing."

"He's already growing, Momma. The soil was moist and the nutrients are all in there getting into the baby's roots."

"You said he, so you must have a name in mind for Miss Betty's new baby."

Lulu smiled, "I do. Momma, Lauren... meet Doc!"

Lauren smiled brightly as Lulu looked up at her, "Are you naming her after me?"

Lulu aimed the hose, "Uh huh! I heard that Wolf call you Doc and I thought it was a cool name for this plant since it's gonna be a healing plant."

"Aloe is a great natural treatment for many things."

Lulu nodded, "That's why Momma keeps King Arthur on the counter in the kitchen!"

"King Arthur?" Lauren asked.

Bo smiled, "He's the big aloe plant on the window seat in the kitchen. Lulu doesn't heal unless I give her my chi, so when I'm not home and she burns herself, King Arthur helps to soothe the heat until I get home."

Lauren smiled, "King Arthur, huh?"

Lulu smiled, "Yup! He and Miss Betty made all of these babies. They're named after..."

"Let me guess... the Knights of the Round Table?"

The little girl giggled, "Of course, silly!"

Lulu pulled the lever on the hose without warning, completely missing the new plant and hitting Lauren squarely in the abdomen.

"Lulu!" Bo screamed, gripping her daughter's hands and turning the nozzle to mist, before lowering it over the new plant.

Lauren stood, dripping wet and laughing as Bo's eyes went wide, "I'm so sorry. I'll go get a towel."

The blonde laughed harder, watching Lulu now completely focused on watering the plant, her tongue hanging out of the corner of her mouth. The blonde stood, stripping off her outer shirt to reveal a white tank top that was equally as wet. She'd have to wait for a towel to dry off further, but at least she could start the drying process for her shirt. She walked a few steps away, hanging it above the heaters since it was still relatively clean. Bo had explained that they usually wore their clothing two or three days before washing them since doing laundry was fairly difficult in winter. She knelt down, pulling the rest of the seedlings into line so Lulu could water each more easily.

"Do all of these have names?" She asked.

"No. All of the knights' names have already been used. I thought you could help to name these. And then we have to plant and name more potatoes and carrots. We use a lot of those."

"Soup?" Lauren asked.

Lulu nodded, "When I was really little, we didn't have near as much stuff, so Momma used to have to go to the grocery store a whole lot. Now she only has to go like once a month. Well, she doesn't go, but Aunt Kenzi does. No one knows my Momma is alive and anyone that sees her doesn't recognize her. Aunt Kenzi is just the new kid in town. Well, she's not new anymore but everyone in town knows her."

"She seems like an important part of your life." Lauren said, wondering if Bo and Kenzi were ever anything more than friends.

"Yea. My Momma gets jobs sometimes. She doesn't like to use my grandparents' money. She says it's important to make your own way in the world. So sometimes she works in bars. She doesn't like how sometimes the stupid boys get fresh with her, but she says she makes good tips. What's a tip?"

Lauren smiled, redirecting the hose away from her feet, earning her an apology from Lulu, "A tip is extra money that customers pay directly to the people who bring them their food or beverage."

"But don't they already get paid?"

Lauren nodded, "Yes, but they don't make much and sometimes they do a really, really good job, so we give them a little money... just for them."

"Tips sound like a good thing then."

Lauren smiled, "I agree. So your Momma bartends, but that doesn't explain how she met your Aunt."

"Oh, right! Well, this really mean guy put something in Aunt Kenzi's drink so he could do bad things to her. I guess he was gonna beat her up or enslave her or something. Momma never told me what the man wanted to do with her. Anyway, Momma sucked the man's face and Kenzi was safe. They been friends ever since."

"Wow... that's really... something."

"Aunt Kenzi was a runaway. She was homeless so Momma offered her our tree house. Aunt Kenzi loves living there and Momma likes that she keeps it like it was when she was a kid... except for replacing things that get rotten like wood and ropes and stuff. Sometimes the three of us stay there instead of here. It's like camping out only instead of a tent on the ground we're in a mini-house in the air."

"Sounds like you guys have created a lot of memories." Lauren smiled, feeling slightly envious of the relationship Kenzi had developed with Bo in her absence. She knew it was silly, but she felt like she had been replaced as the best friend that once shared that space with Bo and Kyle.

"Yea, we do, but Momma always talks about the memories from when she was a kid. Stuff you and that boy Kyle used to do with Momma when you guys stayed there. She said you didn't like your Mom either. I'm glad I got a good Mom."

Lauren smiled, "You've got the best Mom."

Lulu nodded, "Oops, sorry little one. Lauren, I cracked her pot! Can you get me another one? They're up on a really high shelf in the storage shed."

Lauren helped Lulu take the seedling out of the clay pot, laying it gently on the tarp before picking up the pieces.

"The clay pieces go in that box over there. When we start using the kiln in the spring, Momma will... well, I don't know what she does with it. She let's me make stuff with clay, but I'm not allowed to go near the kiln yet. She's afraid I'll set my whole head on fire."

Lauren placed the pieces in the box as Lulu directed, "Okay, I'll be right back. Make your aim true with that hose."

The blonde took two steps past Lulu and came face-to-face with a blue-eyed Bo. The Succubus was licking her lips as her eyes grazed over the blonde's body. Lauren looked down at her wet tank, only then realizing she had no bra on,

"Shit. Bo... I'm so sorry... I..." Looking over her shoulder to be sure Lulu was occupied, she walked to her girlfriend and whispered in her ear, "Not here... your child is here."

She placed a gentle hand on Bo's, the Succubus looking down at where their fingers melded together, then back up at Lauren, her eyes turning back to brown. She lowered her eyes,

"Sorry... I..."

"No, Bo. It's my fault. It was inconsiderate of me to... put myself on display like this. I didn't realize... I mean... it was the farthest thing from my mind since we fought earlier and..."

Bo nodded, "Of course..."

She held the towel up to Lauren who took it and wrapped it over her shoulders, covering her body as Bo continued,

"...naturally, you're upset with me. I mean... I cheated on you and... well... I can't imagine how you feel. I mean... life with a Succubus... what was I thinking... am I right?"

Bo chuckled uncomfortably, "It's okay, Lauren. I understand."

The brunette stepped aside to allow the blonde through, but Lauren kept a tight grip on the hand and tugged her towards the shed.

"Lauren..."

"I have to get a new clay pot for Lulu. You need to show me which one she needs. She dropped one of the seedling pots and it cracked. She's watering the rest of the plants with the hose while I fetch her a new one."

Bo followed as Lauren entered the shed... not that she had a choice since the blonde was literally dragging her in there by the hand. When they entered, Bo was forced against the door, the blonde's eyes meeting hers,

"I interrupted your feed earlier. And while I truly wish it had been me healing you, I was apparently unconscious. Thanks to my two Valkyrie sisters healing you, I was healed by association... somehow... and while that fact has me quite befuddled..."

"Wait... did you just use the word befuddled?"

"I did and while that is the case, I am also quite aware that I interrupted your feed before you came to... completion. That said, I'm pretty sure you're still hungry. I would love to be the one to feed that hunger, but unfortunately, your job as a Mother must always be at the top of our to do list."

"We have a to do list?" Bo asked.

"We do."

"Well, I'd really love it if I were your entire to do list." Bo said, leaning in and kissing the blonde's neck.

"And that is flattering, but I feel a very strong commitment to doing right by your daughter as your girlfriend." Lauren gripped both of Bo's shoulders, pushing her away, "She is at the top of my list Bo and right that small child who has seen and heard things today that no child should ever have to witness in any form in their influential years, is in the greenhouse waiting for us to return with a pot, not aura's blazing all of the colors of the rainbow."

Bo cleared her throat, "You're right. I'll get the pot."

"No, Bo. Feed first. Take my chi."

"Lauren..."

"Bo, I'm Fae now... and somehow, when you heal, I heal. So please, take my chi because honestly, my shoulder and thigh are still throbbing."

Bo smiled, "Mine too."

She placed a gentle kiss on Lauren's mouth, "But if I drain your chi, won't I make you weaker instead of healing you?"

"I really don't know, Bo and I won't know until you try. I just know that... as much as I feel as though I may be ready to take that step with you soon, I don't want to have sex with you just because you have to heal."

Bo smiled, "We agreed. We want it to be so much more than that."

"I know you don't want to think of me as food, Bo but please think of me as your foundation for life... your fountain of youth, if you will."

Bo nodded, "Okay. I will drink from your fountain, but I still don't want us to have sex until you're sure you are ready. And Lauren... I'm really sorry you had to walk in on... well..."

"Bo, I'm trying as hard as I can to get that image out of my mind, so if we could just not talk about it, I would _really_ appreciate it."

"Okay."

"Feed, baby."

"You're sure?" Bo asked.

"You're asking me if I want to be sure I can meet every intimate need you have? Yes, I do and yes, I'm sure." Lauren replied.

Bo smiled and leaned in for a gentle kiss, then another. She caressed Lauren's face, their eyes saying everything their hearts and minds wanted to convey as they kissed again, this time deeper. Lauren melted into Bo's embrace, feeling the warmth of her tongue as it entered her mouth followed by the familiar tug she'd felt before when Bo had taken tiny sips of her chi as a Human. The difference was, this didn't feel the same anymore. Sure, she felt Bo's love and passion for her, but now she felt her body surrender to Bo.

The brunette pulled back smiling, her eyes filled with concern, "Are you okay?"

"I'm more than okay, Bo. That felt like... the most natural thing in the world to me. I feel... loved... wanted... needed, even. And that makes me feel so much more connected to you... I feel... grounded... somehow anchored by you and to you... like I've somehow... come home."

Bo smiled, "Your chi feels like I've finally found what was missing in me all along. I feel... complete."

"Take more, Bo... please?"

"Lauren."

"Please. I can sense... you need it... take it."

Bo's eyes filled with tears, "Is this really happening? Do I really finally have what I need and what my Succubus needs all in the same person?"

Lauren smiled, kissing Bo gently on my lips looking into Bo's eyes as the brunette voiced the one thing that had been her greatest worry about having a relationship with Lauren,

"I can be monogamous... with you. I... I don't have to feed from others or sleep with others. I can just... I can have a normal relationship."

Lauren laughed, "I don't think anything about our life will ever be normal and if we are wounded as we heal, we may still have some concerns, but I think it's possible, Bo."

They kissed again, pouring all their emotions into the moment before Bo pulled more chi, this time Lauren holding tightly to the brunette, urging her to take and take and take until she was full. The blonde wanted her girlfriend completely sated... was she marking her territory? Maybe, but right now, she didn't care. Ysabeau Dennis was hers and no one else was going to touch what was hers ever again.

They pulled apart, Bo's eyes filled with concern, "Lauren! You can't..."

The blonde opened her eyes, looking at the brunette, "Can't what? If you need more, I assure you there's plenty left in the tank. I feel like the energizer bunny."

"What?" Bo asked, confused.

"What?" Lauren asked, just as confused.

"Lauren, I just took more chi than I'd taken from those two Valkyrie combined... probably the equivalent of ten humans. How are you still standing?" Bo asked.

Lauren shrugged, "Apparently, I'm unique."

"LAUREN!" Lulu's voice rang out from the greenhouse causing the two to stop what they were doing and rush to the child's side.

Bo arrived first, dagger at the ready, which caused Lulu to laugh,

"Momma! I asked for a pot, not a dagger!"

"You yelled. What's wrong?" Bo asked.

"Look! I wanted to show Lauren!"

She held up her hand to reveal a large spider, "It's a Brazilian Wandering Spider... he's from Brazil and his name is Frank. He's my pet! He eats the bad bugs around here. Momma doesn't like him. He bit her once because she squeezed him too hard. This kind of spider does that if you do that to them. Frank didn't understand. He thought Momma wanted his venom, so he sure did give it to her!"

Lulu laughed as Lauren approached her.

"I'm going for the pot." Bo said, sheathing her dagger and heading out the door, "I'll leave the spider science to the geeks."

Neither girl acknowledged her, so she just headed out as Lauren moved in more closely,

"Most people consider this to be the single most dangerous spider in the world." Lauren said, examining the creature.

"Not Frank. He's a shifter who shifted after his parents were killed. He never shifted back so now he lives like this. He shifts for my birthday because it's a special occasion but it hurts him a whole lot."

"He's a Recluse Fae."

Lulu nodded, "One of the last of his kind. It's a shame Humans don't know that most spiders are harmless Fae that are just trying to find food or get from one place to another."

Lauren scowled thinking of all of the times she had killed spiders when she was younger. She wondered if any of them had been Frank's siblings.

"Well, it's very nice to meet you, Frank."

Lauren laughed when one of the spiders leg's landed on her finger.

"That's his handshake. He's very proper... and he's British. He has a really cool accent."

Lauren smiled, "Well, top of the day to you, Govanah!" She said, in her best British accent.

Lulu looked at her confused, but Lauren just shook her head, and mumbled, "Only I find me funny."

"Okay, Frank. Time to get back to the gardening. We've got root vegetables to plant and they take forever! Come on, Lauren."

The Changeling watched as the little girl placed Frank gently in a corner before leading her back to the root vegetable section. Bo entered the greenhouse just as they walked past the door,

"I'll take care of the aloe plant, Lu."

"Thanks, Momma. Heading back to the roots!"

"Great! See you in a minute." Bo said, grabbing Lauren's elbow and pulling her back to her for a quick kiss and a sip of chi, "Just wanted one last taste before we get into the heavy digging."

"Well, I'm happy to be of service, but you should know that I do still get one of the Succubus feed side-effects."

"Oh God... I'm so sorry. I thought you said..."

Lauren laughed, then leaned in and whispered, "It makes me horny."

Bo's eyes flashed blue as the blonde whisked past her, her chest brushing against Bo's as she moved. The Succubus stood, a broad grin spreading slowly over her face as she closed her eyes,

"Such a tease." She whispered before heading off to save an aloe baby.

"Ola! Where's my favorite niece!"

Lulu turned and smiled, wiping the hair from her face as she yelled back, "Aunt Kenzi! I thought you were going to sleep right through greenhouse day! We're doing roots!"

"Where are my gloves, Bell?"

"They're hanging right where you left them." Lulu looked at Lauren, "Aunt Kenzi doesn't dig without gloves. Her manicure is very important to her. Momma's surprised she digs at all."

"Okay, Bell. Where do you want me?"

"Carrots?"

"Consider our green-haired beauties planted!" Kenzi said, raising a rubber-gloved finger in the air.

"Lauren will help you! Momma's gonna do the potatoes with me." Lulu said as Bo high-fived Kenzi and moved to Lulu's side.

Lauren turned to Kenzi, "Okay. Where do you want me?"

"Well, first... have you ever done this before?"

"Nope. I'm a rookie." Lauren replied, awkwardly.

"Well, a lesson is in order. So, you see all of these rows of carrots? The ones that are at least four inches high are ready to be thinned. All of the smaller ones stay right where they are, got it?"

Lauren nodded, "Don't touch the little ones, only the 4-inchers."

"Right. It makes sense. Smaller than 4-inches wouldn't be of much use to anyone. We get about a pound of carrots to each one-foot row of plantings. Now the first thing we're gonna do is lay our seed rows. You take this little bowl, put some sand in it like this, pour in these tiny seeds, mix them around and then put it aside."

"Okay." Lauren said, watching Kenzi carefully.

"Now, you take this broomstick handle and drag a straight line through the soil at least a foot from the row behind and in front of it."

Lauren watched as Kenzi pulled a long thin shallow ditch through the rich soil, "Now, because your hands aren't gloved, you reach into the bowl and grab pinches of sand, you sprinkle them into the little trenches I just dug."

Kenzi watched while Lauren laid the seeds, "A little more than that." She instructed and Lauren nodded, doing as told.

"That's it. Now we just cover the seeds like this and viola! Done!"

"Okay. So how do we thin the less than 4-inchers?" Lauren asked, smiling. She was working well with Kenzi. Of course, Bo and Lulu were standing in close proximity, but it seemed as though she had passed the new best friend test. Time would tell.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

As usual, Kenzi had brought all of the essential ingredients for Friday night pizza. Once everything was in the outdoor brick oven, the group had stood around the opening to take advantage of the heat. They played her favorite game 'Where's Waldo' with the red and white striped cap that Bo had knitted for her daughter several years ago. They would blindfold her, spin her around and then just like in the game Marco Polo, she called out,

"Where's..."

Before waiting for the group to respond with their names, only one person – the one wearing the cap – would call out

"Waldo."

Then all would run as she tried to tag the 'Waldo', changing positions as they move until she called out again. Every once in a while she could tag the wrong person and would break into fits of laughter.

Now, with the pizza on the table and the Friday night traditional root beer floats all around, the small group was laughing as Lulu told the story of how Bo had picked poisonous berries for their morning cereal when Lulu was three and both of them had broken out into hives. Naturally, Lauren had mentioned they were lucky they weren't dead, but Bo had reminded her that healing was her thing and that they'd survived many such incidents over the years thanks to their genetics.

Bo excused Lulu to go to the bathroom and then come back with the two books she and Lauren were sacrificing for the week, which gave Kenzi the opportunity to bring up the elephant in the room,

"So... the White Witch is coming tonight. Is the Grandfather coming as well? Dyson told me he's some high ranking Light Fae dude."

"I was not told that he was coming." Bo replied, "I was told our meeting was with only the White Witch so if we're getting a crowd, it's news to me."

She looked at Lauren who remained quiet. Bo sighed,

"But, Acacia and Tamsin have been running my life since they took their Life Oath, so I wouldn't be surprised."

"Bo..."

"No, Lauren. Let's not get into it right now."

Kenzi eyed the blonde cautiously, noting the awkwardness between her and Bo, "You still siding with your buddies even though you're playing house with my bestie?"

"KENZI!" Bo yelled.

"What? I'm just wondering where her loyalties are, that's all. I mean, she just sort of dropped back into my bestie's life, stole Bell's heart and all with rather convenient timing, dontcha think? Rather convenient place to go for the first vacation she'd been given in what... seven years was it? Since your girlfriend Nadia died?"

"You, me... outside. Now!" Bo said, standing from the table, grabbing her jacket and heading outside.

Kenzi eyed Lauren who kept her eyes down until she heard the door slam. So much for getting along well. The blonde felt herself feeling many different emotions all at once, but she was soon joined by Lulu,

"Where's Momma and Aunt Kenzi?" She asked, laying the two books at Bo's chair.

"Uh... they stepped outside to talk for a bit."

"Well, that's sort of rude. You're our guest."

Ouch. That struck a nerve. She was a guest. She was a guest.

"You know what, Lu? I'm going to head out to check in with Acacia and Tamsin. We haven't seen them at all since the Hunters were here and I want to make sure everyone is okay."

Lulu nodded, "They're your friends. I get it."

Lauren gave her a tight smile, "Let your Momma know I'll be back at some point."

"When?"

The blonde frowned, "I don't know, Lu. The meeting is in three hours, so by then for sure."

She placed a kiss on the little girl's head, then pulled on her jacket and sheath before sliding her sword onto her back.

"Be careful. We don't want anything to happen to our Lolo."

"I'll be careful, Lu. See you soon."

Eyeing the front door, Lauren elected to slip out the front door to the cabin and headed down towards the lake. Her sisters would likely be near the water since that is where the Pegasus herd was stabled.

She smiled as she walked, thinking back to her ceremony. Once the ritual had been finished and all of the pomp and circumstance concluded, Acacia had taken her to the Pegasus stables in Valhalla where she had the Valkyrie version of her choosing. In their race, instead of choosing Light or Dark Fae, they chose a teacher and a steed.

She chose Tamsin because they had been through so much together and come out alive. The Valkyrie was callous, rude and a bit of a slob, but Lauren trusted her almost as much as she trusted Dyson. She missed her friend, so having Tamsin here was a bit of a blessing... and of course, because of her rough relationship with Bo, a bit of a curse.

"I guess it evens the tables. Bo's best friend hates me and my best friend hates Bo. Great."

Her mind traveled back to her choosing when the moment came to select a steed. The process had reminded her a bit of the movie Avatar, but at least she didn't have to worry about falling to her death if her Pegasus didn't accept her... getting crushed to death, yes but falling to death was off the table.

She saw the stables come into view and sure enough, a fire with several of her sisters sitting around it. She quickened her pace, smiling at the thought of being around a group of people whose greatest issue was whether or not their swords were sharp enough.

"Doc! We were wondering if we would ever see you again!" Dara remarked, standing to give her sister welcome.

"Yea, well I promised Lulu I'd help out in the greenhouse, and then Bo's best friend invited me to stay for pizza, so I had some dinner."

Tessa laughed, "Good thing because all of the venison is gone thanks to Kate."

Kate winked at Lauren as she pulled the meat off of the last rib on her plate, "I did save you a rack of ribs, but... well, they were getting cold and you weren't here yet, so..."

"Thanks for thinking of me, Kate. I'm sure you waited a whole ten minutes before eating that last rack." Lauren laughed and the group laughed with her.

"I actually think it might have been eleven minutes... because I absolutely adore you, Doc." Kate teased.

"Well, don't I feel special." Lauren sat down beside Kate who threw an arm over her shoulder,

"So, did you and Bo work things out?"

Lauren shrugged, "Honestly, I don't know. Kenzi insinuated some stuff after we finished eating, Bo got mad and ordered her outside for a chat and..."

They all looked at the blonde whose eyes were tearing up, "Sorry."

Kate gave her a sideways squeeze, "Oh bullshit, Doc. That old wives tale that Valkyrie don't cry is bullshit. Cry away. What happened. You can tell your sisters. You know it stays in this circle."

Lauren sighed, "I know she's only ten, but... when Lulu came back out and saw that Bo and Kenzi had left me alone, she said it was rude."

"She may only be ten, but Lulu's a smart kid. It was rude."

Lauren shook her head, "No, she said it was rude because I was their guest."

Silence fell on the circle, all eyes staring at the flame, "Wow... that's..."

"Yea, I know. But she's right, isn't she? I mean, Bo and I have said some things, but we aren't engaged or married. I have no rights to any of this property and I have sided with the decisions that Acacia and Tamsin have made with regards to procedure."

She stared at the flame, "I'm a guest... just like every other blonde on the property."

"You could dye your hair." Tessa joked, drawing laughter from everyone, Lauren included.

"So, what are you going to do?" Kate asked.

"Stay here until the meeting. I just need a little space to think. It's been... an emotional day."

Her sisters all nodded, Kate giving her another squeeze.

"How are Bette and Joanna?" Lauren asked.

Kate laughed, "Terrified of seeing you."

"What? Why?"

"Come on, Doc. They banged your girlfriend."

Lauren cringed, "They followed orders and helped a Succubus heal the only way she can. She's alive and thanks to them healing her, I'm alive... apparently."

"Yea, what is that?"

"I have no idea." Lauren replied, "Are they okay?"

"Sleeping. They've been pretty useless most of the day but I guess you know what that feels like."

Lauren shook her head, "We haven't... she's only taken my chi."

"Oh, shit. So they..."

"Before I had a chance to, yes." Lauren said, knowing what they were all thinking, "I'm working through that. It's her biology. It's how she heals and I want her healthy."

"Still, that cannot be easy." Tessa said.

"Nope. Not easy, but... it's something I have to find a way to accept." Lauren sighed.

"Any chance you can not be in love with her?" Kate asked, "I mean, you could love me... I'm quite the catch." Kate laughed, nudging Lauren.

"Oh yea, I would live a life of starvation and humiliation thanks to your appetite and sarcasm."

Kate laughed, "But I am charming."

"You are that." Lauren replied, "I don't know, Kate. I've loved her since I was a kid. Even when I was with Nadia, she was still in my mind. It's like she fills every fiber of my being when she's around."

Tessa shook her head, "She's done for, girls."

Lauren looked up to see all of her sisters nodding before Kate added, "You're in love, Doc. There's no getting out of this one."

"I'm in love? I mean... I knew I was falling for her but..."

"Done for, Doc. Trust us. We've seen it many times over the centuries. You two have that inexplicable connection."

Lauren shrugged, "I'm going to go over to the stables."

"No flying alone, Doc. You know the rules."

Lauren sighed, "You up for a ride?"

Kate nodded, "Sure thing. Ladies, be back in an hour."

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

"Kenzi, I appreciate you looking out for me... and for Lulu. You're my best friend and the only Aunt my daughter has ever known. You have helped me through some very tough times in my life and have been there for my daughter when I've had to leave her alone, but you need understand... I love Lauren and... after some things that happened today, I realize I am in love with Lauren. I want a life with her Kenzi and I'm sorry, but that outplays best friend in every card game on the planet. I'm sorry if that is hard to hear, but you have a right to tell me I'm wrong with every aspect of my life except my love life. You don't know my heart and you don't know Lauren's heart. I've known her my entire life. You've known her for about sixty minutes when you add together all of the time you've spent with her."

"Bo, I'm sorry but... you're my best friend! It's always been you and me, then this girl comes back into your life and everything starts to change. I don't trust her."

"Why not?"

"I've been spending a lot of time at that bar with Dyson, Ciara, Hale and Vex. I've learned a lot about what's happened to the Doc in the past decade with the Fae and she's got connections to these people that wanted to kill you. I don't trust it."

"What? You think she's a spy?" Bo laughed.

"She could be!"

"According to who, Kenz?"

"Well, Hale says that he and Lauren were always close."

"Kenzi, she was their SLAVE!"

"He told me she worked for him."

Bo shook her head, "Fae OWN Humans, Kenzi like I now own you!"

"What?"

"I claimed you last week when we had our first meeting. Evony insisted I do it for your protection, otherwise, you would probably be dead for knowing about the existence of the Fae. They have all of these rules, Kenzi. I had to protect you."

"You own me?" Kenzi crinkled up her nose.

"You know I don't think of it that way. It's a declaration to the Fae. It has nothing to do with you and me, but apparently the Fae can 'see' that you're protected... by the Unaligned Clan... by Evony."

"But Doc turned Evony into a Human. How can she protect me?"

"She used to be the Morrigan."

"Vex's job?"

Bo nodded, "She turned Evony Human because she was going to kill Trick."

"Your evil deserter of a grandfather?"

Bo nodded again, "She and Trick are close. He's been her mentor for years."

"So she expects you to just up and take him back because she's got a thing with him?"

"She doesn't have a thing with him, Kenzi and she has not brought up Trick once. What happens between us is my choice, although Lulu thinks I'm being rude by not returning his calls. She thinks I should hear him out."

"Pressure from the kid, huh?"

Bo nodded, "I'm going to meet with him and let him have his say. Besides, he may know something that can help me with Lu's powers."

"We alright?" Kenzi asked.

"As long as you treat Lauren with the respect she deserves, Kenzi. I will not tolerate you putting her down or insulting her in any way. Lulu loves her and... well... she can meet all of my needs."

"But she's Human."

Bo shook her head, "You haven't been around much for me to explain but Kenzi, you can't talk about it to anyone. The Fae don't know... well, not all of them. She's a Valkyrie for now, but she's actually a Changeling... an unpredictable species of Fae whose powers will continually evolve throughout her life depending on her needs."

"Yea, well those Elders hate things they can't control."

"Yea, well when they find out, Lauren will move to the top of the list. She has a serum to turn Fae Human and she's a Human who became Fae... a Fae they can't control or know. Kenzi, I'm serious. You need to keep this to yourself. Only you, Lulu, the White Witch and the Valkyrie know about her. If word gets out, they'll come after her. If they come after her, I go after whoever put the word out... best friend or not. We clear?"

"Crystal." Kenzi replied.

"Kenzi, I love you and today you are my best friend..."

"I know, Lauren was your best friend when you were kids."

"Diapers to death of Kyle when I ran. She knows me in a way that you don't, Kenzi."

"Yea, well some parts of you I don't want to know... keep those lady bits away from me."

"We have this bond, Kenzi. I can't explain it other than to say that nothing will get in the way of me and Lu being with her... nothing. So please accept her as part of our life. I'd hate to lose you because you were making decisions about my heart."

"Hey, stood by and said nothing while I dated that disaster Nate. I'll do the same for you."

"Only she won't be a disaster." Bo smiled.

"Well, if she is, I'll be here to pick up the pieces while I mumble I told you so's to myself."

"Okay, let's go back inside. I'm freezing my nipples off."

"Doc would be devastated." Kenzi quipped, earning her a smack from Bo, "Ow!"

Entering the cabin, Bo saw Lulu sitting by the computer with her box of computer parts,

"Where's Lauren, Lu?"

The girl continued to build whatever it was she was building as she spoke, "She left. She said she'd be back eventually. I think she was a little upset. You guys shouldn't leave a guest alone to go have best friend time. That's rude."

"Well, your Aunt Kenzi didn't really give me a choice."

"Well, it's still rude to invite someone for dinner and then leave them alone at the table. How would you feel?" Lulu asked.

Bo shook her head, "Like an unwanted guest."

Everything began to add up in her head, "Shit. Dammit, Kenzi!"

"What?"

Bo pulled on her coat, "Stay with Lu. Any sign of trouble you go right to the panic room."

"I know, but where are you going?" Kenzi asked.

"To find Lauren. With everything you said and then her feeling like a guest... we said things to each other, Kenzi! This was becoming her home and now I've made her feel like an outsider!"

Lulu stood up, "Momma, I told her she was our guest. Did I hurt our Lo?"

Bo rushed to her daughter and knelt down in front of her. Taking her face in her hands, she spoke, "You did nothing wrong, Lulu. This is all me. I should have made my intentions clearer. You love Lauren, right?"

"More than anything... I mean... except you."

"I want her in our life, Lu... for good. It's going to take work, but I want to make it work with her."

Lulu smiled, "Is she the one worth coming out of the woods for, Momma?"

Bo smiled, "I think so, Lu. I think so. Stay inside, listen for the Hunters and take care of Aunt Kenzi."

"She's safe with me, Momma."

"Okay, Lu. I'll see you soon."

"You'll be back before the witch comes?"

Bo nodded, "Count on it."

She kissed Lulu's forehead and turned to leave, "Kenzi..."

The young Human crossed her arms over her chest, "I'm sorry, Bo. I didn't know you felt so strongly about her."

"She has my heart, Kenzi and I'm pretty sure I have hers. I can't lose her, Kenzi. The Prophecy... I can feel it... if I lost her, anger would consume me. What I feel for her... I could never feel that with anyone else."

Kenzi nodded, "Fairy tale love. Go get your girl."

Bo turned back and smiled at Lulu who smiled back before the Succubus exited the cabin.

"Let's build a computer, Aunt Kenzi."

"A computer?"

Lulu nodded, "I know you know how. I read it on the internet the day that we were there. I looked up the internet to find out what it was and then learned about hackers. I know you used to be one of them because I heard you tell Momma. If you were a hacker, you know everything about computers."

Kenzi sighed, "Okay, but no internet unless Momma gives the okay. Internet means IP address and IP address means you can be tracked. You being tracked means the Hunters find you and that means your Mom finds me and Kenzi gets sucked into a permanent smile."

Lulu giggled, "You're funny, Aunt Kenzi."

"Yea, kid well compliments will get you a computer. Let's go."

Kenzi picked up the box and moved it to the table, "Okay, let's see if we can find a few things... processor, hard drive..."

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

Bo scaled the closest tree and headed into the forest, moving from tree to tree like the Amazon warrior who had taught her when she was young. Selia had been one of her first mentors in fighting the Hunters. She had come to her from a prison called Hecuba. The prison was shut down over eight years ago now and she and a few others from her clan had sought refuge here ever since.

Things were a bit uncomfortable at first. Bo saw them as a threat on her lands, but the day Selia saved Lulu's life, the Amazons became a permanent and welcome fixture. Bo allowed them to come and go as they pleased as long as they respected the boundaries of the land and stayed away from the Mansion.

During the winter, the clan would set off in their hand-fashioned canoes across Lake Ontario, journeying to the Amazon lands that line the Appalachian Trail in the states. Then when spring returned and the tourists invade the trails there, they come back to Bo's land to stay.

Bo often misses them when they're gone. The Amazon had been a permanent fixture in her life for more than seven years and she trusts them with her life... and Lulu's life. Selia promised to start training Lulu in the ways of the Amazon warriors when she turns thirteen, but now Bo feared those lessons would be too late. She hoped that once Selia learned of what was happening, she would start her training earlier. Bo wanted her to be able to defend herself by illusion and camouflage, using her powers to kill as a last ditch option.

When Bo realized where she was, she stopped, hovering about forty-five feet above ground. Her view of the mansion from here was clear and she shuddered at the thought of all that had transpired in that place during her youth. Still, she knew what she needed to do to find Lauren, so she continued on until she reached the tree outside of her bedroom window. Reaching out, she gave it a nudge, smiling when she realized no one had ever noticed she'd kept it unlocked so she could escape at night to visit with Kyle and Lauren. Of course, then she had to climb down because she didn't know how to traverse treetops like an Amazon.

Entering the room, she felt like she was in a time warp. Everything was exactly as she had left it and the smell of pine cleaner just as strong. Apparently the money she continued to pay the staff was well spent.

"Ysabeau?"

A gray-haired woman made her way into the room. From the maid uniform she wore, Bo guessed that this had been her Nanny. The years had changed her, but her eyes were still the same,

"Sadie? Is that you?"

The woman engulfed Bo in a hug, "Oh, my Ysabeau. You beautiful, beautiful soul! I knew you would return eventually!"

She pulled back, "Let me look at you. You will hate me saying this, but you are the spitting image of that wicked witch of a mother of yours, but twice as beautiful."

Bo smiled widely, "Shhh... you shouldn't say things like that, Sadie. The Madam may hear you!"

Sadie laughed, "You used to warn me about being too bold all the time, Ysabeau. I never paid you any mind. Your parents wronged you terribly and I would rather have died than be party to that, dear. So, is this just a trip down memory lane or is there something I can do for you?"

Bo stood looking at Sadie, "I'm here to use the cameras, but it is so good to see you, Sadie."

"So, I take it you'll be leaving when you're finished looking at the grounds?"

Bo sighed, "I'm afraid so."

"It's okay, dear. I understand. We all do. She's beautiful, you know."

"Who?"

"Well, Lulu, of course but that one Valkyrie has caught your eye. We all saw it... the way you look at her."

Bo blushed, "You've been watching."

Sadie sighed as they walked down the corridor, "We love you, Ysabeau. Of course we have... there is someone on the cameras every minute of every day since the Hunters came back."

"You know?"

Sadie nodded, "They've come looking for trouble inside this mansion more than once. We've managed to keep them out and the portal sealed so far. We'll die before we let them through."

"Portal?"

"To your Father's kingdom, of course."

"There's a portal?" Bo asked.

"In the basement, dear. It's how Hades moved between this realm and his own when you were a child. He took your Mother there to birth you, then brought her back here to raise you."

"But my Grandfather..."

"Your Grandfather's movements in this mansion were limited once your Mother married Hades. He was suspicious as to who Jack was, but once he got close to figuring it out, he was banished from the McCorrigan lands. He's been in hiding ever since. Word has it that your Grandfather is a bartender and your Mother is in an Asylum. Oh, the damage Hades did to your Mother's mind was terrible... constantly threatening her with taking you to Hel if she gave away his secret... he truly is Satan."

Bo stood, taking in every word that Sadie spoke, standing still even after she opened the security room,

"Ysabeau?"

Bo shook out her thoughts, "Sorry... I... that's a lot of information to take in."

"You didn't know?" Sadie asked.

"I wasn't educated in the ways of the Fae. My Mom didn't tell me what I was... I found out when I killed my best friend Kyle."

Sadie nodded, tapping the shoulder of the young man sitting at the computer screens. She waved her hand in front of his face,

"Take a break Matthew. You're in the mood for a cheeseburger and a date with Violet. Give her a call, but remember... you work as a Park Ranger. You've seen nothing of the McCorrigan Estate nor the creatures that dwell here. Understood?"

"Of course, Ma'am. I'm going to go call Violet. I'm in the mood for a cheeseburger."

Bo laughed as the young boy left, making herself comfortable in the chair, "Is that how you got me to eat my broccoli when I was a kid?"

"Only if I had to, dear."

Bo began scanning the mountain, knowing that Lauren could be just about anywhere.

"If you tell me what you're looking for, I may be able to help you, dear." Sadie suggested.

"The Valkyrie are here on these lands. Have you seen them today?"

"Oh, they're down by the lake dear. You know, the Amazons and the Valkyrie aren't exactly best of friends, Ysabeau."

"Great." Bo said, "Another problem. Just what I need."

"Ysabeau, are the rumors true?"

Bo looked up at the older woman, "Rumors?"

"Are you the Chosen One?"

Bo shrugged, "Apparently. I'm still trying to work everything out myself."

Sadie knelt before her, "I always knew. I pledge fealty to you, Chosen One and you will have the fealty of everyone in this house... the house of the Blood King, Fitzpatrick McCorrigan and you, his heir, Ysabeau Ann McCorrigan-Dennis. All of our resources are yours."

Bo smiled, "Thank you, Sadie. I may have to take you up on that."

"There they are, dear."

Bo zoomed in on the group, but did not see Lauren among them. Sadie reached down and rewound the footage until she hadn't seen earlier in the month when they'd first arrived,

"Wow... the stables... see here? That's your friend and another Valkyrie."

"Oh. My. God." Bo said, her eyes wide as she stared at the screen, "Are those... flying horses?"

Sadie laughed, "A flying horse is called a Pegasus, Ysabeau. They obey only the Valkyrie who chooses them at their Choosing Ceremony."

"So, Lolo owns a Pegasus?"

"Lolo? Oh my..." Sadie said, looking more closely at the monitor, "... I haven't seen her for years. But... if I recall, your best friend was a Human, wasn't she?"

Bo froze. She did not want to out Lauren to a Fae she hadn't seen in years and for as innocent and open as Sadie had been with her, this wasn't about her... this was about keeping Lauren's secret.

"Well, I guess we both had secrets when we were kids."

Sadie looked curiously at the footage, "Well, I'm glad you found each other again. I know you two were quite close back in the day before..."

She said no more and Bo understood why. No one had talked about the scandal she had caused in the town. She'd almost exposed the Fae and that was a very big no-no. Of course, Sadie never blamed Bo... she blamed Aoife for not teaching her daughter as a Fae parent should.

"It looks like the two took off from the stables about twenty-five minutes ago. There's two more in the shelter and it looks like the rest are either on patrol or by the fire."

"Thank you, Sadie."

"I serve at the behest of the heir to the McCorrigan throne." She bowed her head, so did not see Bo roll her eyes and shake her head.

"Well, I appreciate all the staff is doing to keep the mansion clean and in good order."

"I don't suppose you would stay to say hello to the others?" She asked.

"I'm sorry, Sadie. I've got to get down to the lake. I've got a lot going on right now and..."

"The Fae grapevine reaches to the top of this mountain, Ysabeau. We will continue to protect the Chosen One as best we can. We are well aware that the Valkyrie are here for your protection, but be warned, you are going to have some work to do in building some bridges between those blondes and the Amazons you gave land rights to."

"It's that bad between the clans, huh?"

Sadie nodded, "Absolutely. There's some bad blood there, largely from things done by the Valkyrie during the Great Fae War. I'm not privy to the cause of their feud, but it is likely you will be asked to have one group or the other leave."

Bo nodded, "Well, I believe this will all come to an end before the Amazons return. Hopefully they'll never know the Valkyrie were here."

Sadie shook her head, "As I said, the Fae grapevine reaches here, but it also has a very long reach across the globe. If they've gotten wind that you or Lulu are being threatened, they are likely on their way back already."

Bo sighed, burying her face in her hands, "Arghh! Is anything easy?"

Sadie laughed, "Was that one of your hypothetical questions, dear?"

Bo smiled at Sadie, "Yes, but if you have any suggestions, feel free to send me one of your special letters."

"You remembered."

"Of course I did, Sadie. You used to mail me letters, drop pots of soup on my doorstep, leave packets of seed in the greenhouse. I knew it was you." She smiled, "I must admit, when I stopped getting things, I was worried something had happened to you."

Sadie shook her head, "I'm sorry, child. I just saw that you had things well in hand... you'd outgrown a need for the old Nanny."

Bo gave the woman a hug, "I don't think I'll ever outgrow you, Sadie. Thank you again. It was nice seeing you."

"Goodbye, Ysabeau." She opened a closet door and pulled out a large duffle bag. Handing it to Bo, she added, "We made them to your exact specifications. Some people knit, Bertie and I make arrows."

Bo opened the duffle bag and found it loaded with arrows that looked exactly like the ones she made herself.

"How did you know my specs?"

"Bertie's grandson found one on the ground. He brought it back, we used the security cameras to zoom in to make sure it was yours and they matched. From there it was just a matter of copying your design."

Bo analyzed the arrow, from tip to fletching, "They're perfect. There must be two hundred arrows here."

"Three hundred and fifty."

"Wow. Thank you and please thank Bertie for me."

Sadie nodded, "Be safe, Ysabeau. Watch your back and teach that young girl of yours about the ways of her Fae. Children are resilient. She'll handle what's coming better than you'll believe she is able."

Bo smiled, closing the duffle and heading to the window. Strapping the handles over her shoulders, she slid out of the window into the trees.

"Reach up over your shoulder and find the zipper. If you open that, it will be just like pulling arrows from your sheath. It will be much easier to load the cylinders that way. By the time you get to the lake, it should be almost empty."

"Thanks again, Sadie. Give everyone my thanks and my love."

"Listen to your Succubus, Ysabeau. She'll always protect you. You are born of two very powerful beings and you have the Blood King in your veins. Release your power and take the life you choose."

Bo nodded, the words echoing in her mind as she made her way back through the treetops towards the lake, dropping arrows into the cylinders mounted at each perch. Finally, she was hovering over the campfire where the Valkyrie were sitting. She knew it wasn't polite to eavesdrop, but she needed to know what was happening on the Valkyrie side of things. She watched as Acacia and Tamsin came to sit with the group.

"Where's Kate?" Acacia asked.

"She and Doc went off to stretch their Pegasus' wings." Tessa replied.

"Doc was here?" Tamsin asked.

Tessa nodded, "Apparently, she wasn't feeling too welcome over at the cabin, so she thought she'd come hang where she was wanted until the meeting."

"Well, the meeting starts in less than an hour. They damn well better be back here on time." Acacia replied, clearly frustrated with their timing.

"Yes, Mistress. Lauren is aware of when she is expected back. I just think she needed a little breathing room."

"Well, Kate isn't likely to give Doc much room to breathe."

 _Bo frowned and mumbled, "What the fuck is that supposed to mean and who the fuck is Kate?"_

"Well, if Bo is fucking with Lauren's head, she's going to have a problem on her hands." Tamsin remarked, hurling a dagger into a nearby tree.

Tessa laughed, "Really, Tamsin? What are you going to do to Bo? She's the Chosen One. You still don't get what that means, do you?"

Acacia interrupted, "Tamsin knows exactly what that means. She's just not thinking before she speaks which is understandable since she has a blood bond with her."

" _Blood bond? What does that mean?" Bo wondered, "Does she have some sort of claim on Lolo?"_

Tamsin pulled her dagger out of the log and went back to sit down next to Tessa,

"Look, all I'm saying is that Bo is the Chosen One. She's always going to have to put the needs of the Fae before anything else. Is that really the type of life that Doc wants?"

Acacia spoke, "And all I'm saying is that it's Lauren's choice. You ladies need to stay out of it. A true sister listens, advises only when asked and then supports when shit hits the fan."

"Yea, well the fans are coming out. It's only a matter of time." Tamsin replied.

 _Bo sat down on the limb, thinking about what the women were saying. Why was everyone against her and Lauren being together? Bo was pulled from her thoughts by someone pointing to the sky just above the lake._

"Well, there they are, Tamsin. You can ask Lauren what she thinks about all of this."

Tamsin sat quietly watching as Kate and Lauren landed, "Well, she certainly did learn how to land her Pegasus from an expert, didn't she?"

"Kate taught her that and you know it. You suck at landing yours." Bette argued.

Acacia interrupted, "Maybe you should make yourself scarce, Bette... and take sleepy head over there with you."

They all laughed at Joanna who had been a victim of the Succubus feed earlier. Bette stood and walked over to nudge her sister awake, mumbling,

"Totally worth the hangover. Best damn sex I ever had."

Acacia scolded through gritted teeth, "Bette! Don't you dare let Lauren hear that! It's bad enough she had to walk in on that. What a fucking fiasco."

"Apologies, Mistress." Bette replied, helping Joanna to her feet, making a hasty exit just as Kate and Lauren arrived, walking their steeds with them.

"Has anyone seen the stable boys?" Kate asked.

"They went to dinner about thirty minutes after you left. They should be back soon. Come on, join us for a beer." Tessa replied, stretching out her legs.

Erynne tossed each of her sisters a beer, which they caught easily, as they walked their steeds over to where the group had gathered.

Bo watched the group from above, smiling as Lauren's horse leaned down and nuzzled her neck, the blonde reaching up and rubbing it's neck in return. She seemed to have a great relationship with the flying horse. Why had she never told her about it. Bo wondered if it had a name. It was pure white while that girl Kate's was a chestnut brown. Bo had always wanted a pony as a child, but her parents never allowed it.

"So, Doc... my girls tell me there's trouble in paradise?" Acacia asked, "I need to know before we head into this meeting with your Fae mother."

" _Fae mother?" Bo whispered, "This witch is considered her Mom now? So what does that make Tamsin? I thought she was the one who gave birth or whatever that damn Prophecy said."_

"I just needed to clear my head. Look, I'll talk to Bo but like I was telling Kate, I really need you guys to stay out of this. Bo and I will work things out in our time, our way."

She went to continue but stopped, taking a deep breath,

"Look, you know I love you all and appreciate all you've done for me through this whole process. I've never had sisters before all of you. But we're sisters and I have to draw a line. If Bo and I are going to have a life together, it's up to us to work that out, but the last thing we need is people interfering by putting thoughts in our heads."

"Lewis, I'm just..."

"No, Tamsin. Look, I appreciate... so much... all you have done and sacrificed for me. You saved my life and gave me more than I could have ever dreamed of through my rebirth, but it's still my life. If you feel you have some sort of claim on me because of what you did, then tell me now so we can move forward."

Tamsin sat silently for a moment, but Acacia wasn't having it, "Tamsin, Lauren asked you a question. Did you make a sacrifice in saving her or did you make a claim?"

Tamsin looked at Acacia, "Mistress, it was a sacrifice. That was the pledge I made to the White Witch. She would not allow me to make a claim. If that were my choice, then she would not have saved Lauren's life. I needed to give freely of my blood and expect nothing in return, so I did. But she has my blood and it calls to me when she's in pain. I feel responsible for her like, I suppose, a Mother would a child or a blood sister would. I have no experiences to compare these to, but my instinct is to protect her... not just her physical body, but her heart as well."

Lauren shook her head, "You cannot protect my heart from love, Tamsin. I'm in love with Bo. It's her job to protect my heart... not yours. It's your job to support my choices and the choices of my heart. You say you gave me this new life of your own free will... then act like it. Allow me to live my life the way I choose and stop interfering in my decisions. Stop speaking badly about Bo and stop harboring ill will towards her. As my blood calls to you, so does yours to mine. I can feel your anger, Tamsin... your anger towards Bo and your anger towards me for loving Bo. I do not understand it, nor will I try. That's your shit and yours to work out in your own mind. I have enough on my plate dealing with Bo's best friend's shit."

 _Bo felt her heart sink, "Shit. Dammit, Kenzi. I should have called you out right in front of Lauren so she would know that I would always put her first... well, after Lulu but I'm pretty sure she's okay with that. I think she would put Lulu before me. At least I hope she would. Dammit. I need to talk to her."_

Tamsin sat silently for a long moment before she looked up at Lauren, "You're right, Doc. I need to back off. You've completed your training, your transition, your ritual and your choosing. By the way, she's beautiful..."

 _Bo watched as Tamsin nodded towards Kate, "Wait... she chose Kate for what?"_

"...what did you name her?"

Lauren replied, "Aurora."

Acacia smiled, "Ah... appropriately named."

Lauren nodded, stroking her Pegasus' neck, "I decided that this was a new dawn for us both... and I did take my first successful flight on the night when the Aurora Borealis was visible."

"A good luck sign for Valkyrie." Acacia replied with a smile.

"I can only hope it's a good sign for a Changeling as well. Have you learned anything new about my kind? Anything at all?" Lauren asked, clearly desperate for answers.

"I'm sorry, Lauren. Our best bet is this meeting tonight. The White Witch has done this for us in the past. She will know of what is to come."

Two young boys appeared just behind the fire, "Apologies for our late return Mistress. May we take the Pegasus of your daughters?"

Lauren smiled and stood, walking Aurora over to the first boy while Kate handed her steed off to the other,

"Thank you. Can you see that you give her right front leg a little extra attention? She seemed to be favoring it."

"Of course." He bowed, taking Aurora back to the stables while his friend followed.

"Well, I did my job... got Doc back here on time. I'm heading off to get a couple of hours of shut eye. I've got duty rotation in five hours."

"Thanks, Kate... for everything." Lauren smiled.

"Anytime, Doc. Anytime."

"I'm going to head down to the lake to rinse off quickly before I head back to the cabin. I'll meet you at the meeting?" Lauren asked.

Tamsin moved to protest, but Acacia gripped her arm, "Tamsin and I will meet you there. Have a nice walk. Keep your sword at the ready."

Lauren nodded and headed down towards the lake. Bo stood and skipped along the tree branches until she was down by the lakefront ahead of Lauren. She placed the last of her arrows in the cylinder, then moved over to the last tree before the clearing and somersaulted out of the tree, landing squarely on her feet, one hand in the snow. She walked over to the water and stood there, arms crossed over her chest and waited. She had no idea what she was going to say, but she knew that groveling would be involved.

As her thoughts raced, trying to figure out what to say, she heard footsteps and turned to see the blonde approaching,

"Fancy meeting you here." Lauren said.

Bo shook her head, "It's not as fancy as you might think. As soon as I came back inside, I left and came looking for you. It didn't take long for me to add up where your head might have gone after talking to Lulu. I came to set the record straight if you'll let me."

Lauren nodded and Bo began,

"First, what Kenzi said was way out of line. I don't know why I gave her the courtesy of removing her from the room to ream her ass out after what she said to you... I mean, she didn't show that courtesy to you. I guess... I don't know... I should have told her to shut the fuck up right then and there in front of you so you would know that other than Lulu, you will always come first in my life just like you did when you were my first best friend. I've set Kenzi straight. She either gets on the Lauren train or she won't have a place in my life. Who I love is none of her business. There needs to be a line."

Lauren laughed, "Well, I guess we're on the same page with that one. I just told my Valkyrie sisters pretty much the same thing... especially Tamsin."

Bo nodded, "Thanks for that."

"We've admitted we want to give this a real shot, Bo but..."

"I'm in love with you. I'm 100% absolutely in love with you, Lauren Lewis and I want a chance at a life with you and Lulu... all of us, together. I know this threat of impending doom and death is going to get in the way of that for right now, but when the smoke clears, I need you to understand where my heart is and what it wants."

Lauren's eyes filled with tears, "I'm in love with you too, Bo."

Bo closed the distance between them and kissed Lauren hard before pulling back, "Lulu told me what she said to you. She's just a kid, Lo. Sometimes her best intentions don't come out the way she means. You aren't just a guest in our house, you are what makes our house a home."

Lauren wrapped her arms around the brunette and held her tightly, whispering in her ear, "I love you, Bo. We have to stop letting people get in the way of doing things the way we want to do them."

Bo pulled back, "Agreed. So... I've been thinking."

"Dangerous, but I'm listening." Lauren joked.

Bo laughed, "We have this meeting with the White Witch tonight... get some real answers. Then we have a meeting with my Grandfather and get more answers. After we're finished, we have a sit down meeting at the Mansion with the staff."

"You want to go to the mansion?"

"No, but I already did. I went there tonight to check the security feeds... long story... anyway, I spoke with my Nanny."

"I remember her... Sadie, right? The only person in the house who was on your side."

Bo shrugged, "Apparently not the only one. They're all on the side of the Chosen One... so they say. Anyway, she told me things about my family. Trick may not be the man I was led to believe he was."

Lauren smiled.

"I know you're dying to say 'I told you so', but I know you won't. Thank you, by the way."

"You're welcome." Lauren grinned.

"Anyway, I need to hear what he has to say and you need to be there to keep him honest, Lauren. We need to call all of them on the cryptic Fae bullshit. If they want their Chosen One to save the world, then they need to come clean about everything. Otherwise, you, me, Lulu and maybe Kenzi are on our way to another continent."

"Tough love, huh?" Lauren quipped.

"Absolutely. I mean it, Lo. I'm taking the hardline with this Are you with me?"

Lauren smiled, "Always."

"Okay then, do you want me to leave you alone for a bit? I can go back and check on Lulu."

"You left her alone?" Lauren asked.

"No. I left her with Kenzi who is probably mad at me now because I'm sure Lulu has been lecturing her about how you treated her while trying to convince her to help her build a computer."

"Kenzi can build computers?" Lauren asked.

"She was a computer hacker. If it has a hard drive, she knows about it."

"Wow. I never would have guessed." Lauren replied, "I'm going to wash up now. Do you want to turn around or join me?"

"You're going in that water? It's freezing!" Bo warned.

Lauren shook her head, "I'm not going in, silly! I'm just washing up my face and neck from my ride."

"Your ride?"

"I went with my friend Kate for a ride on my Pegasus, Aurora."

"You never told me you had a horse. Why not?"

"It never came up."

"Will you take me for a ride sometime?"

"Of course. I'd love for you to meet Aurora."

"Sounds like a plan. We better get to washing up or we'll be late for our meeting."

Lauren nodded, taking Bo's hand and they walked together to the water's edge.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

When they had arrived at the cabin, Bo had exploded when she'd learned that Kenzi was helping her daughter build a computer. After a very brief argument, Kenzi immediately started dismantling the device while rambling angrily in Russian. Lulu went into meltdown mode which, in turn, led to Bo's current meltdown,

"You know, no one cared about Lulu and I for since the day her Father died! Now, all of a sudden, everyone thinks they know how we should be living our lives! Can I please just make ONE decision about how my daughter should be raised?" She breathed out a heavy breath, "Aaahhhhhh!"

Lauren watched as her girlfriend turned and walked out of the house, slamming the door behind her. Lulu grew silent, then suddenly ran and jumped into Lauren's lap, crying.

"Aw, Lu. It's okay. Momma's not mad at you. She's just frustrated with all of the changes right now and I think she's nervous about this meeting."

"Me too." Lulu replied.

Lauren tucked two fingers under the child's chin and lifted her eyes to meet her own, "Can you stay here with your Aunt Kenzi and I'll go talk to your Momma?"

Lulu looked over her shoulder to where Kenzi was still mumbling in Russian, "She's mean when she goes into Russian mode."

Lauren laughed, "Let me talk to her, then I'll go talk to Momma, okay?"

"Okay."

Lauren turned around and grabbed the coloring book and crayons from the shelf, "Here, why don't you sit here and color a pretty picture for us to hang in your room while I talk to the adults."

Lulu huffed, "They're not acting very adult right now."

Lauren smiled, "Well, even adults have their moments, Lu. Give 'em a break, okay? There's a lot of changes going on and sometimes that's a tough thing for adults to handle."

"Yea, you know what they say."

"What do they say, Lu?" Lauren asked, curiously as she settled the little girl in her chair with her coloring materials.

"You can't teach an old do new tricks. Momma and Kenzi are like the old dogs."

Lauren stifled her laugh, placing a kiss on Lulu's head before turning to talk to Kenzi. She fumbled nervously with her shirttail before reminding herself quietly,

" _You're a fucking Valkyrie, Lewis. You can talk to a tiny rambling Russian! So what if she hates your guts."_

She took three quick strides, "Kenzi, stop. Please stop taking that apart."

Kenzi dropped the pieces and held her hands up, "Yes, Ma'am. Since Bo does whatever you ask, I better fall in line or lose everything I've come to know as MY family!"

"What?"

"Oh come on! While you've been sipping martinis with your rich family and going to your fancy college, Bo and I have been living the hard life, looking out for each other and Lulu. Then you zip in here like the long lost best friend and twist her mind around, changing everything!"

"You know nothing about my life, Kenzi and our love for each other is not a change! It's always been there. What has changed is that Bo's best friend in the world is no longer supporting her decisions and respecting the choices she makes for her child! You could have waited to build the computer and talked to her about it first but instead you made the choice for her! Look around you, Kenzi! You're her best friend! You, more than anyone, knows that Bo likes to live off the grid and wants her child to grow up off the grid! If you were really Bo's best friend, you would have known that and asked first."

Kenzi didn't reply, so Lauren added, "In the end, Kenzi, Bo's rant wasn't about the computer or you. She's nervous about this meeting with the White Witch and like it or not, we are the people she needs right now... you and me. Now, I'm going to go try to talk her down since she thinks she's upset with you right now. Will you please color with Lu while I'm out there? She needs to know you aren't mad at her. Your Russian rant freaked her out."

Lauren waited, then placed a gentle hand on Kenzi's shoulder, "What do you say? Truce?"

Kenzi looked up at the blonde and nodded, "I'll handle Bell. You take care of Bo."

"Bell?"

Kenzi stood, wiping the soot off of her jeans, "Yea. It's my nickname for her?"

"Oh. But..."

"It's the other half of my name." Lulu said from the kitchen.

Lauren looked at the little girl, "My full name is Lulabelle, it means beautiful princess. My Daddy named me because Momma was too out of it from pushing me out."

Kenzi looked at Lauren, "The Lula part is after you and the belle part is from her Dad."

"Me?"

"Lu for Lulu and La for Lauren."

Lauren stood still for a long moment, her eyes cast down as Kenzi added,

"She's never stopped thinking about you... ever. I hope you can say the same."

Kenzi sat down next to Lu, "Sorry I went all Russian on you, kid. You know it's just to hide the bad words that I'm not allowed to use around you."

"You're scary when you go all Russian."

"Scary? I thought you would be impressed with my dual language skills."

"Pourquoi parlez-vous que le russe m'impressionne lorsque je maîtrise trois langues?"

"What is that?" Kenzi asked.

Lauren smiled, kissing Lulu on the cheek, "She asked you why she should be impressed with you speaking Russian when she's fluent in three languages... and that one was French."

Kenzi opened her mouth in mock shock, before shaking her head, "Smarty pants."

"Yes, I am." Lulu said proudly while Lauren smiled behind her.

"See you two soon."

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

The wind hit Lauren square in the face when she stepped out of the cabin. Another storm was in the forecast and it looked like it was timing itself to arrive with the White Witch. In a way, Lauren found it fitting that the white stuff with fall with the arrival of it's namesake but right now, her number one priority was getting to Bo. Something had shifted in the Succubus as they arrived at the cabin and Lauren felt it. Her connection to Bo was growing every day in ways that made tonight's meeting with great curiosity.

She looked to her right and saw Bo sitting on the old rail fence, her elbows propped up on her thighs, head down as her ponytail blew in the wind. The Doctor in Lauren wished she'd brought a coat out with her for the brunette, but at the same time, she knew Bo's Succubus blood would keep her sufficiently warm... then again, she couldn't even catch a cold and if she did, she'd heal right away. Lauren smiled as she walked towards her girlfriend. Life with a Succubus would definitely change her way of thinking over time.

Lauren climbed over the fence and came to stand in front of Bo, her hands gripping the back of her calves,

"So... do you want to tell me what that was all about?"

She could hear Bo sigh before she looked up with tear-filled eyes, "I feel like my life is spinning out of control and I don't know how to handle it."

Lauren smiled, "Well, I think we can agree that the way you just handled that was... not... the way to handle it."

Bo shook her head, "Is Lu okay?"

"She's fine. Her meltdown is over, Kenzi's meltdown is over, you're calmer so, tell me, what's this really all about?"

"I feel like this meeting is about to decide my entire life. I don't know why I feel that way, but I do... and it scares me... and I took out my fear and frustration on my best friend and my little girl."

Lauren nodded, "You did, but do you know what the best part about having a best friend and a little girl?"

"They'll never say no to chocolate?" Bo asked, the sadness and frustration in her eyes broke Lauren's heart.

"Well, I'm sure that is a side benefit, but I was thinking the best part is that they will always forgive you, Bo... always."

"Will you?"

Lauren nodded, "I will. My love for you is unconditional and I want you to know that, Bo. You have so much on your plate right now... so much change."

"So do you and I think people are forgetting that. You were Human all of your life and now you have become a part of the world that kept you as a slave for half of that life. I don't think people are really considering that you were made Fae against your consent."

Lauren nodded, not replying for the moment. The truth was, after Tamsin had given her blood for the ritual to save her life, she'd wondered if given the choice, would she have chosen death rather than to continue to live life with the Fae... as a Fae. She never really decided on what she would have done, but at the time, she likely would have chosen death. Life with the Fae had drained her of any semblance of her former self. She was tired and sick to death of living as a slave.

She looked up at Bo, "I'm trying to reconcile my former life with what I am now just as you are trying to reconcile your former life with the life literally thrown at you by a scroll of parchment. Things are hard right now, Bo. It's not a contest to figure out which one of us is in the biggest mess. It's more about each of us trying to find our way through what we're dealing with and whether or not we can do that together."

Lauren took Bo's hands gently in her own,

"I want you to be free to make your own choices... I don't want to be a burden or party to any group or process that takes those choices away from you, but I sense that my association with the Valkyrie, the White Witch, Trick and the Fae as a whole may be testing the trust between us. So... I just want to say that if, based on all of those things, you don't think that you can handle a relationship with me right now, I'll forgive that too, because I love you and as I always have, I want you to be healthy and happy. If I must wait for all of this to be over to see what we can be, I'll wait and support you in any way you ask."

"Gods, Lauren. You're the only thing that does make sense to me right now, but if you want to support me, then... I need you to step up."

"Step up?"

"Yes, with the Valkyrie, the White Witch, Trick and the Fae as a whole. All of those people that you have relationships with, I have none. I need to know that you have my back and, as I should have done with Kenzi yesterday, I need to see you use your voice in this meeting tonight. I want them to see that you and me..."

Bo gripped Lauren's face and kissed her squarely on the lips, "... we're a team. I may be the Chosen One, but I've chosen you and they need to understand that if they want to convince me of something, they need to sell you on the idea as well."

"But what if we disagree?"

Bo shrugged, "Then we talk it out or argue it out if we must. In the end, I suppose the Chosen One makes the decisions, but if I make one you don't agree with, it's mine to own."

Lauren laughed, "And mine to bail you out of?"

"Unfortunately, yes. But I will always listen to you and Lulu. If I don't... you have to call me on my shit."

Lauren smiled, "Agreed. Just... Bo, you have to understand that I'm just finding my voice. You know that in my childhood, I was never permitted an opinion. College and med school helped me to come out of my shell. Defending hypothesis, arguing treatment options, making split second life and death decisions for patients... all of it gave me confidence and strength that the Fae then methodically dissected and took from me through years of enslavement. After being named the Champion, I felt like I started to find a little more of myself again, but now, finding myself some bastardized version of a Fae..."

"Bastardized version? Is that what you think?"

Lauren wiped a tear away that she didn't realize had fallen and deflected the weakness with a half-hearted chuckle,

"I liken my new existence to Harry Potter."

"Harry Potter?" Bo asked.

"Yes, Harry Potter. You don't know the books or movies?"

"No, they're Lulu's favorite. I just... it was the last thing I expected to hear. Why Harry Potter?"

"I think of myself as a mudblood now. I'm a Fae born to the Human world with no Fae relatives. I'm a mudblood and I expect to be treated the same." Lauren replied.

Bo shook her head, "You are Champion of the Light Fae and part of the Chosen One's prophecy. You are so much more than a mudblood, Lauren. You grounded me in my childhood, supported me no matter how ridiculous the campaign, understood my moods, hugged me when I struggled, tutored me when I didn't understand, yelled at me when I was being an idiot and stood by me when others judged. You are my Champion, Lauren Lewis and you have my heart."

Lauren stared at Bo for a long while before gripping her face with both hands and kissing her hard. She pulled back and smiled,

"I love you, Bo Dennis."

"I love you, Lauren Lewis."

"So, can we talk about what happened in there before you left?"

"Not cool, huh?"

"Your daughter was pretty upset and rather than pick her up and tell her you weren't mad at her, you walked out."

"Well, I'm sure that Lulu had some hand in convincing Kenzi to build a computer."

"Then you should blame me for showing her one to begin with, Bo."

"Okay. I blame you."

"Thank you. Can you tell me why you don't want her to have one?"

Bo shook her head, "You forget, Lauren. Lulu stays here on this property, but I've always gone out into the real world at night to feed. I've seen what happens to people who are constantly attached to their phones and computers. It's like they don't see each other anymore."

Lauren nodded, "I agree, that is a risk, but Lulu has no friends here, Bo. Have you not considered what your childhood would have been like had you not had me and Kyle?"

Bo thought for a long moment before she looked up at Lauren, "I've only been worried about not treating her like my parents treated me... but I am, aren't I?"

"You are loving and caring and fun with your daughter, Bo. You are nothing like your parents."

"But my parents kept me sheltered and tried to keep me from you." Bo replied, "I'm exactly like my parents."

"Okay, so you're doing one thing that your parents did, but there's still time to change that, Bo."

"How?" Bo asked.

"Enroll her in school? A real school?"

"Are you kidding me? I cannot show my face in town!"

"Well, I think you can. When I was back at my clinic the other day, I learned a few things that are already in process by Evony and the Unaligned to protect you and your identity."

"Lauren, I don't want to owe anyone anything and Evony..."

"Evony is a businesswoman, Bo. If it benefits her, she does it, plain and simple. She does nothing unless it helps her upfront. You owe her nothing."

"How does doing anything for me benefit her?"

"You are, strangely enough, aligned with the Unaligned."

Bo shook her head, but Lauren waved her off,

"I know, I know... it's ridiculous, but it's Fae. Anyway, she wants to be sure that the Chosen One, a.k.a., the Champion of the Unaligned, can't be taken from the clan. That said, she did a background check on you and found out that there was a warrant out for your arrest."

"Don't tell me... Kyle."

Lauren nodded, "They think you're guilty of murder."

"I am!"

"Bo, you didn't know what you were capable of."

"I didn't take responsibility for what I did and his poor family... I never gave them closure!"

"Until now."

"What?"

"Evony gave them closure. She sent some Unaligned Fae disguised as Federal Agents to tell them that the mystery of Kyle's murder had been solved. That is was a serial killer who was caught and killed in Florida. They were informed that you had been placed in witness protection, which is why no one in town had seen you after his death. Now that the killer is dead, you would be free to return to your former self, but you had been given an alias, so may choose to remain under that name."

"And I take it a name is coming?" Bo asked, crossing her arms.

"McCorrigan."

"McCorrigan?"

"It's your Grandfather's name... your Mother's name, Bo. Your Dad created the name Dennis. His name is just Hades... no last name."

"How about God of the Underworld?"

"He's Fae, Bo. A powerful ancient Fae who, like the other ancients, led Humans to believe they were Gods because they had powers, but he's Fae nonetheless which means he can be defeated. All Fae can, it's just a matter of finding their weakness."

Bo nodded, "McCorrigan."

"That's the truth of your blood, Bo. I'm not saying you should or should not take the name, I'm just saying that the name is the one that is on your witness protection file. You are Ysabeau "Bo" McCorrigan."

"And Lulu?"

"The same... but I was unaware that her full name was Lulabelle."

Bo nodded, "I... named her after my Lolo. I never forgot you, Lauren... never stopped loving you. I know she isn't biologically yours and it may sound totally strange, but I had always hoped the life I was living with Rainer at the time would have been the life I would have had with you. Even if in name only, it was close enough to make me feel like a part of you was still here. Sorry if it creeps you out."

Lauren smiled, "I think it's endearing."

Bo smiled, "Thank you."

"Of course. So... what do you say we go inside? My blood doesn't run as warm as a Succubus' and it's a bit chilly out here."

Bo looked up, "The snow is falling. Lulu loves snowfalls."

"Well, maybe a moonlight walk in the snowfall will be the perfect activity for after this meeting."

Bo smiled at Lauren, "That sounds perfect."

"Great. It's a date."

"Maybe we'll walk up to the mansion." Bo said, almost as an after-thought.

"Really?" Lauren asked.

Bo nodded, "I think Sadie would like to meet you and Lulu."

Lauren looped her arm through Bo's elbow, "Whatever you want."

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

Lauren put out the last of the fresh garden vegetables on the tray and carried it out to the table. Clearly this meeting was going to be stressful for everyone, but there was no reason they couldn't stress eat while they talked.

"Here are my brownies, Lo!" Lulu smiled, handing Lauren the plate.

"They look delicious!" Lauren replied.

"They arwa!" Lulu choked out, swallowing hard.

Lauren chuckled, "Lu, did you eat one of the brownies?"

"Uh..."

Lauren laughed, seeing the chocolate all over the little girls' teeth, "Lu..."

"Yes, ma'am. Sorry, but they just smelled so good! How can a kid resist chocolate? It called to me, Lauren!"

"It called to you?" Bo asked, entering the room and wrapping her arms around Lauren from behind.

"Yes. Momma, it was this little voice in my head that told me that one brownie was made just for me and not for our company."

"Well, I guess there is plenty of other food for the company. Lu, you made an awful lot of stuff."

"Well, you and Kenzi were arguing and Lauren left, so... I just found my way to the kitchen! Then I remembered that people were coming and I read in a book that when guests come there's a feast, so... I made the best feast a kid can make! I coulda made soup, but..."

Bo knelt down and put her hands on her daughter's shoulders, "Lu, you did so great! You are still my supergirl!"

"You're not mad at me for building a computer with Kenzi?"

Bo sighed, looking down at her daughter's hands, taking them in her own, "How about we save that conversation for tomorrow? I'm not saying no, but I want to talk to Kenzi and Lauren about it first. They're the computer experts. I need to know that she can keep you safe if you're using it, Lu. There are things about computers that you and I don't understand."

"But I'm a quick learner." Lu said, mischief in her eyes and a small smile on her face.

"I know you are, but Lu there's people out there..."

"That want to hurt us... or worse."

Bo nodded, "And you're going to learn a little bit more about that at this meeting. Just remember that no matter what you hear, I will not let anything happen to you and neither will Lauren."

Lulu looked past Bo to Lauren, "She's write, Lu. We will not let anything hurt you."

"But who will protect you guys?" Lu asked.

Bo sighed, "The Valkyrie, the Wolf, the Faery Queen, the Siren, the Mesmer..."

Lulu smiled, "... The Human leader of the Unaligned and The Blood King."

Bo nodded, "You remembered."

"I read the scroll over and over again... Eyes both brown and blue,,, virtuous yet lustful..."

"Okay, okay... I get the picture. You have it memorized. Do you always have to prove you're smarter than me?"

Lulu giggled as Bo tickled her belly until the group grew suddenly quiet,

"Wow, the wind is really whipping around out there, isn't it?" Kenzi said flatly, chewing a piece of brownie as she came to join Bo, Lauren and Lulu.

Lauren gave her a tight smile, "Actually, that sound was..."

Everyone's heads snapped to the left as a figure appeared in front of the long row of window across the front of the house.

"Phew! This place was not easy to find! Lauren, my daughter! How are you?"

Bo watched as Lauren walked over to a woman who looked like something out of the Lord of the Rings. She wore a long white dress and a long white robe with a ruby that held it together at the neck. Her hair was thick, long and perfect in every way. She looked like she was not a day over forty, her skin a milky white. She pulled Lauren into a hug,

"It's so good to see you, child. Now... are you happy?" She asked, looking Lauren directly in the eyes.

Lauren smiled, "I'm working on that, Mother. Come, let me introduce you."

"Ah, yes... the Chosen One, her precious child and her Human friend... a spitfire, that one."

Kenzi scowled, stepping behind her best friend and Lulu, who whispered to Bo,

"Momma, she doesn't look at all like the pictures of witches I saw in my books. She's really... pretty."

Bo smiled, "She is..." Bo leaned down and whispered, "I thought there would be a wart on her nose."

Lulu giggled up at her Mom and kissed her gently on the nose.

"Such true love between a Mother and Child should be savored in this world of anger and hatred. It is sad that there are those who would see you and your child harmed."

Bo looked up to see the woman looking back at her, a broad smile covering her face, "Your eyes... they're even bluer than Kenzi's."

Lauren smiled, "Well, when you've lived as long as Jadis has, you tend to lose the pigment in your irises."

Lulu gulped, "She's not a good witch, Momma. I read about her in the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe."

Jadis laughed, "Don't fear, child. Human stories often create villains where there are none. You have the power within you to decide. Am I good? Or am I evil, child?"

The knelt where she stood and held out her hand to Lulu who stepped behind Bo's leg, "Come child, I will not hurt you."

"Lady, I know you know Lauren and I'm sure I have a reason to be grateful to you on some level for keeping her alive, but you just got here... as in popped in without knocking... and we don't know you, so pardon my daughter for being a skeptic, but she was raised by me."

Jadis laughed, looking up at Lauren, "Spunk and a great sense of humor. You've done well for yourself, daughter. She will be an excellent mate for centuries to come."

"Centuries?" Kenzi asked.

"Fae, remember?" Bo said, nudging her friend away from her shoulder.

"Wow. That gives a whole new meaning to the word commitment." Kenzi quipped.

Bo elbowed her friend.

"Sorry, BoBo, but this is a little to cray, cray for me. I'll be in the tree house if you need me."

"Kenzi."

"And Ima take a few of these brownies with me because... well, chocolate makes everything so much better."

"Fine, but stick to the path and take one of those Valkyrie guard with you. I want you safe, Kenzi. I mean it."

Jadis spoke, "Your friend will live a long Human life, child. You needn't worry so much for her. There are forces behind her that neither you nor she can see right now, but she will be protected."

Kenzi stood still, her eyes wide as she looked at Bo, "Good to know... I... I'm just gonna... yea... I'll see ya... later."

They all watched as Kenzi grabbed a stack of brownies and headed for the door. Once she had exited, Bo turned back to Jadis,

"So... this meeting. Can we get started? I have questions."

The witch nodded, "And I will try my best to answer them, child."

Bo motioned to the table, taking a seat herself and pulling Lulu onto her lap. Lauren sat next to Bo who watched the witch with careful discretion as she sat at the head of the table.

"Lauren, you take your seat beside your love. Good, Good."

"I will always be by the side of the Chosen One. She is my chosen partner in life. Is that a problem?" Lauren was beginning to get a bit tired of people questioning her love for Bo. She realized she was being overly defensive, but Bo's nervous anger was palpable.

Jadis smiled, "So it was written, so shall it be."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Bo asked.

Lulu tugged on Bo's sleeve and whispered, "The scroll of the prophecy, Momma. Lolo is your love... it's written."

Bo looked at Lulu, and then back at the White Witch, "What will happen to Lauren?"

"Direct and straight to the point, I see. Good for you. Well, what will happen to Lauren is whatever she needs to happen."

"I've heard that before, so stop with the cryptic. What does that mean?"

"Well, I supposed it means that, over time, if Lauren needs to be able to make fire, she will take on the qualities of some fire Fae. If she needs to be able to camouflage herself, she'll take on the powers of a Fae chameleon, if she needs to..."

"Okay, okay! I get it!" Bo waved her hands, lowering her eyes before looking back up, "Will she live a normal Fae life?"

"Child, I cannot predict the future, but I would think that, as Changelings who have come before her, Lauren will adapt to her environment and continue to thrive for more years than the eldest of Fae."

Bo sighed with relief, "But what of the Fae? I've heard it said that she may not be welcomed."

"Welcomed? Not likely, much like myself, much like you and your child. It is a strange tradition that those who lead the Fae fear the most powerful among us. You have not met and will likely never meet another Changeling during your existence. They tend to keep themselves hidden."

"Because they're hunted?" Bo asked.

"It is true, they are hunted for a time, but eventually the Fae will give up and leave them to live their lives outside the realm of the Fae laws."

"Why?"

"Hunt and Changeling and you sign your own death warrant. It is madness to pursue them for they can adapt to any powers that may try to attack them. With you as her mate, Lauren will be even more difficult to kill."

"Why is that?" Bo asked.

Jadis looked up to Lauren and chuckled, "Why, why, why... she's a curious one, isn't she."

Lauren gave her a tight smile, but remained silent, her hand squeezing Bo's shoulder for a long moment until Bo's hand came to rest on top of hers. Jadis looked at the joined hands before she spoke again,

"I understand the Hunters came for you and your daughter... that Lauren was mortally injured but survived."

Bo cringed. This was not a topic she wanted Laurent to relive, but as soon as she thought it, Lauren was already answering for her,

"I was. I had the exact same wounds that Bo had and they believed the wounds happened at almost exactly the same time and in the same order. Then, something extraordinary happened. Acacia sent two Valkyrie to... to heal Bo and... well, as she did, I healed as well. Can you explain this?"

Jadis nodded, "Bo heals because of her Succubus. You healed because you need Bo and she needs you."

Bo stared down at the table, tracing a grain of wood over and over as she processed what the witch has said. After a long moment, she raised her eyes to meet the older woman's and spoke,

"She becomes what she needs. She somehow used my Succubus healing powers... but how?"

"She became a Conduit. A Fae who can channel other Fae's powers through touch."

Lauren shook her head, "But we weren't touching. Bo was upstairs in her... bed... and I was downstairs."

"As your Bo said a moment ago, the Fae are always cryptic. The use of the word 'touch' may also mean 'touched' or 'connected to'."

"But we weren't connected... we were separated..." Bo replied.

Lulu tugged on Bo's sleeve, "No, Momma. You're always together. You're connected through your hearts, just like you and me."

Bo smiled at her daughter, and then looked back at Jadis, "Is it really that simple?"

Jadis smiled, "Sometimes the simplest answer..."

"... is the right one, yea, yea, lady... I get it. So what's happening to us? I can... I feel her like I feel Lu. I've never had that with anyone else. Is it... does it have something to do with my blood?"

"Ah, so you know then. Granddaughter of the Blood King, hidden from Faedom for years and now revealed, brought into the light for a bigger purpose."

"Yes, I know. So what can you tell me about my blood?"

"Your blood is powerful, child and that blood, combined with the blood of your parents and Grandmother makes you the most powerful Fae ever created. Your Father knew this and worked his magic to bring events about to bring us to this moment."

"My Father knew of the prophecy?"

Jadis nodded, "What do you know of your Father, child?"

"I know my Father was Hades. He his here in the Human realm as a man named Jack Dennis. My Mother was unaware of his identity until after I was conceived. My Nanny told me that my Mother tried to harm me when she learned what I carried inside of me... that she lost her mind."

Jadis was oddly quiet, seemingly meditating on the information Bo had provided. Lauren looked at Bo, who shrugged before they both turned back at the sound of Jadis' voice,

"And this Nanny... does she live?"

"She does. I saw her earlier today."

"And... as a child, were you close?"

"To Sadie? Yes. She tried to help my existence in that house be somewhat normal." Bo frowned, "She thought that my Mother would have taught me what I was... taught me about the Fae, but she didn't."

Jadis nodded, "Did she ever use her powers on you?"

"Not that I'm aware. I mean... I don't think I would know if she did, right?"

"As a Succubus, you would remember her suggestions minutes later."

"My healing powers." Bo replied.

"Yes, dear. So, she is still in the mansion then?"

"Yes, I have an entire staff who takes care of the grounds and the house itself... and... everything inside."

Jadis nodded, "I see... and are you aware of what is inside?"

"A portal."

The White Witch looked at Bo, "Have you seen this portal?"

"No, but Lauren and I were going to take Lulu there tonight... to meet Sadie."

"Child, I believe that trip should wait for when you have reconciled with your Grandfather. You will want to take your entourage with you. Your presence that close to the portal will surely unleash more Hunters than you, Lauren and your child could handle. Your child needs time to come into her powers, Lauren needs time to perfect hers and you need time to accept yours."

"I don't understand... you think that Sadie..."

Jadis laughed, "Sadie is not as she appears, child. Sadie is my sister... my blood sister. I have not had contact with her for quite some time. I thought her dead years ago... or taken through the portal."

"That can happen?"

"Your Grandfather hired the staff of the mansion personally. It is the one defense he managed to get in place before he was exiled from the property. They were your first protectors. He had hoped they would protect your Mother as well, but she was stubborn, that one. She knew that if she kept Hades close, he could not hurt you. He used you as a tool to manipulate her."

"I was told she wanted me dead." Bo replied.

"When you were born and she learned who your Father truly was, she had hoped to kill you before you were old enough to know what was happening. Then, your Grandfather told her of the Prophecy... that you were the only hope for saving the world from him. She set out to protect you no matter what the cost from that moment forward, but the cost was great."

"She went insane."

"Yes child, and you were left to fend for yourself and eventually your child. Your Mother would be proud of you, Ysabeau. She is not the woman you believed her to be."

Bo nodded, "Sadie never mentioned having a sister."

"If your Father knew she was the sister of the White Witch, she would have been killed. She must have found a way to mask our blood link to keep me safe. I must prepare a potion for you to take to her. Combining our powers when the time comes will stop the Hunters coming through the portal. Mind you, when that happens, Hades will be on to us and we will have little time to act. We must unite and plan. The end of days draws ever near."

"You said... well... what you said about the three of us... about our powers. What did you mean?"

"You must leave these woods, Ysabeau. I know it is all you've known and I know that you feel your child is safe here, but you dwell too close to the portal, giving Hades more power than he need have."

"You mean he's feeding on me?"

"His Hunters feed on your power."

"Then why try to kill me?"

"Kill? No, no child. They wish to kill in order to capture. They are well aware that you would heal. With you in their possession, the Hunters would be unstoppable. Combine the powers of you and your child and Hades becomes more powerful. Combine all three and Hades could return to this realm. Kill the Hunters, close the portal and Hades cannot feed. Do those things and Hades is banished to the underworld for good."

Bo felt Lulu snuggle in closer while Lauren leaned in to her shoulder, "But... where will we go?"

"To the land of the White Witches. We will train you there. Your Human friend must come as well. She has a role to play in the weeks that come. She is the third heart."

"Lauren, Lulu and Kenzi... the three that hold my heart... the three that are closest to me."

"One shares your blood, one shares your heart and one will forever be part of your soul."

Bo looked at Jadis, "Lulu has my blood, Kenzi has my heart and Lauren is..."

"Your soul mate, child. It has been so since your birth. As Sadie told me, the two of you were forever attached at the hip."

"Sadie warned me not to bring her to the mansion. She said it would be... dangerous for her."

Jadis nodded, "And she would have been correct. Your Father would have sensed the combined power of the pair of you, even before you came into your powers and Lauren was still Human."

"So... where are we supposed to go? If we go back to Lauren's place, the Fae will enslave her again... or worse if they find out that she's Fae now."

"You will come to the land of the White Witches. We will teach and protect you there. You have friends that will protect this land and keep the Hunters from entering the Human population any further."

"Where do they get the Humans they occupy?"

"They are the souls of the damned, Ysabeau. Your Father is the King of Hel."

"Right. So what are we supposed to do, make everyone behave so they stop going there?"

Jadis laughed, "It would be nice, wouldn't it. Remember, child, we are all born of two natures, good and evil. It is that which we choose to nurture that we become. Your child may have the blood of Hades in her veins, but she is the purist of spirits because you have taught her so."

Lulu smiled, but kept her hold on her Momma. Jadis smiled back and offered her hand, "Child, will you look into me now? I'd like there to be no doubt in your mind that I will offer you nothing but kindness."

Lulu looked at the outstretched hand before looking up at Bo who nodded back. Slowly the little girl reached out and laid her hand in the palm of the White Witch,

"Now, focus on what you want to know of me, child. Look at the connection between our hands. Release your Fae into me and she'll bring you back a message."

Lulu focused on their joined hands while Bo and Lauren watched her carefully. Bo noticed her daughters' arm pulsing red as her own did when she used her influence. Looking at Jadis, she noticed her arm was glowing a light lavender, similar to the color of Lulu's eyes when she used her telekinesis. Several moments later, Lulu broke the connection and looked up at Bo,

"She's a good witch." She closed her eyes and fell limp in Bo's arms.

"Lu! Lulu!"

Bo pulled open her daughter's mouth and pushed chi into her until she was too tired herself. Lulu's eyes fluttered open,

"Momma?"

"Lauren... I need..."

The blonde didn't hesitate, locking lips with her partner and allowing her to take as much chi as she needed. Bo broke the connection,

"Thanks."

"Feed her, Bo. She needs it."

Again Bo pushed chi into her daughter until finally, her eyes were wide open. She sat up taking a long breath before latching onto Bo, holding her tight.

"Does this happen whenever she uses her powers?" Jadis asked.

Bo nodded, "Yes. Ever since she started using them."

"We must go. Tonight. Get your friend."

"Wait, wait, stop! I am not taking orders anymore! Tell me what's going on or we go no where!"

"They're using your daughter... every time she uses her powers... she's too close to the portal and too young to block them. You're older. You're able to..."

"I get it. Let's go." Bo said, her protective instincts kicking in.

They watched as Jadis stood and raised her arms over her head, her eyes glowing a bright white until suddenly, Acacia and Selia stood in the center of the room not far from the table, both on one knee and slightly off balance.

Jadis stood and moved towards the two,

"Acacia, ready your soldiers. You will escort Ysabeau and her family to the lands of the White Witches tonight. The child shall ride with you for from this day forward, you will be her Guardian."

"Wait! Don't I get a say in who watches my child?" Bo asked, "I am sick to death of people telling me what to do with my life and my child!"

Jadis turned and faced the Succubus, "My apologies. Is there a more skilled warrior with whom you would trust your daughter?"

"It's not about warrior skills, it's about taking care of her heart. I would like it to be Lauren."

Jadis shook her head, "Lauren has another role to play in Lulabelle's life. Choose another."

Bo looked at Lauren for a long moment and then knelt down in front of Lulu. She whispered in her daughter's ear, and then Lulu whispered back. Bo looked at her for a long moment before they whispered to each other again,

"You're right Momma. I agree."

"Okay, Lu. But remember, I'll be there with you. It's still you and me, right kiddo?"

"And Lauren too, right?"

Bo smiled, "And Lauren too... with a little bit of Kenzi thrown into the mix."

"She's not gonna be too happy." Lulu warned.

"Sure she will be. She'll get to wear boots 24/7, right?"

Lulu giggled before Bo hoisted her into her arms, spinning her around so she was on her back. Lu leaned forward and kissed her cheek to which Bo replied, "Love you. You know, at some point my Fae strength isn't going to be able to hold you anymore. Stop growing up so fast."

"I wanna be thirteen so I'm allow to..."

"I know, I know... let's just get to eleven first, okay?"

"Okay."

Bo turned to Jadis, "Tamsin. Tamsin will be the Guardian."

"Bo? Are you sure?" Lauren asked.

Bo nodded, "You trust her and she trained you. She's actually a lot like Kenzi, so I think she and Lu will get along. Besides, I can't imagine Tamsin not taking the responsibility seriously. She'll protect her, Lauren. I know it."

The blonde nodded.

Jadis turned back to Acacia to find her and Selia glaring at one another, "Ladies, you and your clans are skilled and noble warriors. Your history is unfortunate, but you must find a way to put it behind you if we are going to survive the end of days. Acacia, you are honor bound to protect Ysabeau's Human friend, Kenzi. She has an important role to play in the coming battle. You are honor bound to protect her life."

"So be it, White Witch." Acacia bowed her head.

Selia offered, "I can have one of my warriors bring Kenzi to you so you can ready your soldiers."

Acacia nodded in reply and Selia did the same.

Jadis smiled, knowing this was the start of a necessary peace, "Go now... have your soldiers break camp and prepare their steeds for the trip to my homeland. I will have my sisters keep the portal open."

"Consider it done." Acacia left swiftly to notify her soldiers of their departure.

"Selia, I am sure you wish to greet Ysabeau, so I will make this brief. You are to protect this land. The Hunters have tripled in number since your departure. When we leave, the numbers should decrease once again. Be vigilant. I have learned that my sister dwells in the mansion. Make yourself known to her and only her. She is guarding the gate to Hel. There are those she trusts. Know them and watch them. Protect her as you have protected Ysabeau. I will need her power when we return."

"The Amazons are at your service White Witch."

"Very well. I will take my leave to prepare my sisters for your arrival. Bring nothing but personal items you must absolutely have. Secure anything or burn anything that might give them knowledge they could use against you. Selia will help you to determine what those things might be. Now, before I go, Lulu could you take me to your library? I sense that you will want that with you while we're away."

Lulu looked at Bo who nodded and the two left the room. Bo watched, whispering to Lauren, "Should I be going with them?"

"I trust her, Bo but if you don't, you should not hesitate to do what you feel you must."

"I feel like I have to trust her but years of living alone makes it hard."

She looked up at Selia and smiled, walking to her extended arms, "It has been too long, Selia."

"I'm back early. How can it be too long?"

"How did you know to come back?"

"The Fae grapevine says that my old friend and landlord is the Chosen One." She winked.

"You knew, didn't you." Bo said.

"Did you really think and entire clan of Amazons just happened upon this mountain so close to civilization and actually wanted to stay here?"

Bo laughed, "You've got a point. I'm learning quickly, but apparently a lot of things have failed to connect... like Daddy being Hades."

"Yea, it's not every day you find out your Dad is the King of Hel, huh?"

"Tell me about it." Bo smiled, then extended her hand to Lauren,

"Selia, this is Lauren."

"Ah, the childhood sweetheart, aka best friend."

Bo blushed as the pair shook hands, "Okay. Don't go giving away too many of my secrets."

"Lauren, let's do dinner some time. I'll put on some Human clothing so I blend in and I can dish on everything Bo has been up to since you've been gone."

"That sounds like a plan. I'll buy the wine."

"Actually, you'll have to buy the whole meal. Amazons don't use money."

Lauren smiled, "Of course."

"Okay, let's Hunter proof this house and get you guys on your way. Jadis hates to be kept waiting and if she dragged me and Acacia here to do this on demand, there's a threat coming."

"My friend Kenzi..."

"Sabrina is already getting Kenzi. She'll take her right down to the beach."

"Okay, let's go then."

"Mind if we eat all of your food?"

Bo smiled, "I would appreciate it if you and Deanna would stay in the cabin. Besides, Seera would be safe here."

"Yes, the panic room."

Bo nodded.

"Okay then, I'll bring my clan onto your land and leave the others to cover the rest of the mountain."

"The others?"

Selia nodded, "A storm is coming, Bo. All of the clans have come. Your lands will be safe once you've gone."

Bo frowned, looking around the cottage. Selia looked at Lauren, "I'll go start packing things that you'll either need to burn or take with you."

"Thank you." Lauren replied.

She placed a hand on Bo's shoulder, gently turning her around to see tearful eyes. Wiping her cheeks, she gave her a weak smile,

"Bo, you'll be back. This isn't goodbye."

"But it will never be the same."

Lauren nodded, "Maybe not, but different doesn't have to mean bad, does it?"

"I guess not. It's just... I'm not ready for this, Lauren."

The blonde nodded, "That's why we're leaving, Bo. When we return, we'll be ready... we... you're not in this alone, Bo."

Lauren pulled Bo into a hug, holding her tight until Bo pulled back, feeling a tug on her pants,

"Momma! Guess what?"

"What, sweetie?" Looking around, she didn't see Jadis, "Where's the White Witch?"

"She left and she took my whole library with her!"

"All of your books?" Bo asked.

Lulu shook her head, "Nope. She took my books, the shelves, the floor, the walls, the stairway... she took my WHOLE LIBRARY!"

Bo scowled and walked to the entrance. Pulling open the door, she stopped, seeing nothing but empty space. The scanner, lanterns, staircase... all of it was... gone. She turned back to Lauren,

"There's a whole in my cabin where my library used to be."

"Bobo! Leave me alone! I need to talk to Bo!" Kenzi entered, an Amazon trying to stop her, but Kenzi was having no parts of it.

"Bobo, some other white haired lady just showed up! She stood in the middle of the greenhouse waving her arms around and then POOF! It's all gone! She took the entire greenhouse!"

Bo shook her head and turned back to Selia, "Sorry, you'll only have the food that's in the storage lockers but it should last your family a month. The cylinders in the trees are well-stocked with arrows. If you run out, see Sadie at the Mansion. The staff has been making arrows for me – they're good quality. Oh, and the groceries... if you share it with the rest of your clan, you'll have to use the grocery store. Sadie up at the mansion can get you groceries. Just tell her to put it on my card with whatever they get."

"Thank you, Bo." Selia replied, "I'll get started."

Kenzi called after her, "She's happy to help, right BoBo?" adding, "The cost of groceries... about five hundred dollars a month. Your clan here to protect her land and home... priceless."

"What?" Selia turned, looking annoyed.

Kenzi clicked her fingers a few times before pointing her finger at no one in particular, "Sorry, I forget you guys live without TV."

They all looked at her, confused, "Never mind. So BoBo, is this chick for real? I'm moving? We're moving? Where are we going?"

"I don't have time to explain, Kenzi but yes, this is an immediate evac. The White Witch expects you there. Apparently you have a role to play. If you want out, tell me now."

"To the bottom, BoBo." Kenzi said, holding up a fake glass to which Bo responded in kind, then urged her friend on,

"Okay, head down to the lake with Sabrina. She'll hand you off to Acacia."

"Oh, NO!" Kenzi said, looking as if she just stepped in a pile of worms, "She hates me!"

"She'll protect you, Kenzi. She's honor bound to the White Witch to do so."

"On the other hand, I'll go see Acacia with Sabrina. Come, Amazon!" Kenzi turned and walked out the door, Sabrina following her while shaking her head.

Bo turned to Lauren, "Can you help Lulu pack while I prep the house with Selia?"

"Absolutely... you can do this, Bo. You'll have no Hunters to fight and you'll finally be able to focus on learning all you need to know. Lulu will have people who can truly teach her about her Fae. This could be a good thing, Bo."

Bo smiled, "I know. It's just... I built this place with my own hands. I raised my daughter here and created a lifestyle here. I just..."

"I know, Bo. You want to be in control of your own choices, but leaving here, it's temporary and... well, to quote Pretty Woman, it's just geography. In the land of the White Witches, you'll be left to make your own decisions, Bo. I'll make sure of it."

"Well, I'm skeptical. We're going to live with the woman who just ordered us off of my property and stole two room from my house."

Lauren laughed, "She didn't steal them... think of her as a really speedy and skilled moving company."

"Yea, then why are we backpacking the rest of the stuff with the Valkyrie?"

Lauren smiled, "Because we can fly."

Bo's eyes went wide, "You mean... I'm... we're going to..."

"You're going to love flying with Aurora, Bo."

"Oh God, I gave Tamsin permission to take Lulu on a flying horse!"

"It's gonna be SO COOL!" Lulu said, standing between the two women.

They looked down at the smiling child, "I forgot you were standing there, Lu. You know, you gotta hold on really, really tight, okay?"

"Momma, don't worry. Tamsin will catch me if I fall. Besides, I won't fall too fast. I can telekinesis myself!"

Lauren stuttered, "Sh..she... can... she can..."

Lulu floated up to Lauren's height, the blonde's eyes going wild until Bo snatched her out of mid-air,

"Hey! Didn't you hear what the White Witch said? They're feeding on you, Lu. No using your powers until we're well away from here. Okay?"

Lulu nodded, "Do you think that's why I always knew when they were coming?"

Bo and Lauren looked at each other, "Not connected by touch... connected by something else." Bo said, "My Father's blood. He uses his blood to animate the Human dead... he can connect to her."

"It's okay, Momma. I won't use my powers."

"We're going... now! Hurry, Lauren, please?"

Lauren nodded, as Bo moved to find Selia, then stopped, "Wait... do you need anything from your clinic or... do you have a home? I didn't even ask! Gods, I'm awful!"

Lauren smiled, "I have an apartment. Tamsin can get anything I need."

Bo nodded, "Okay."

She stood staring at Lauren and Lulu before she turned to get ready.

"She's a mess, huh?" Lulu asked, though it was more of a statement.

"She'll be okay, Lu. We just have to keep telling her it's okay."

Lauren set the little girl down and watched as she scampered up to her bedroom. Lauren grabbed the box of computer parts, then moved to the kitchen and grabbed her coloring books, crayons and a bag of carrots... Tamsin's steed loved carrots and Lulu needed to establish a relationship with the Pegasus of her protector. Lauren wasn't sure how she knew that, it was just a feeling and after all that was revealed tonight, she made one decision. Above all else, she was going to start to listen to her Fae and follow her gut. It always worked for her as a Doctor and that was still a part of who she was. Her Fae would give her what she needed... follow her gut and her Fae would do what needed to be done.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

Forty-five minutes later, the house was close to empty of all things Bo and Lulu. A fire raged out back where all of their personal possessions that they didn't need or want to keep burned as the pair watched with tears in their eyes. Bo's eyes were fixed on a little stuffed elephant that Lulu had chosen to throw into the pile because she'd already brought ten other stuffed animals with her. It broke Bo's heart to hear her daughter tell her it was time to start growing up... that little girls needed to let go of little girl things. Bo didn't want this change for her daughter. She wanted her to stay her little girl for a little while longer, but Selia had raised several young girls into adulthood and reminded her that letting go of time didn't mean she had to let go of her daughter.

She'd tossed her photo album of Rainer in, keeping a couple of pictures inside of Lulu's books. Every once in a while, she liked to pull them out and see if she looked anything like her Daddy. Bo didn't want to take that away from her, so she let her keep what she wanted.

The hardest thing for Bo to let go of were the baby clothes and toys. She knew she was holding on too tightly and that she needed to let her daughter grow up, but it didn't help that she'd had no time to prepare. A week would have been nice. They'd been given thirty minutes and even that wasn't enough. Watching memories go up in smoke wasn't easy.

"Momma? We'll make new memories, right?"

Bo smiled down at her daughter, "You bet we will. It's just stuff, right?"

Lulu smiled, pointing to her head and heart, "What matters most is what's up here and in here."

They were joined by Lauren, "It's time."

Bo nodded, "You ready to go, kid?"

"Lauren, you'll stay near me and Tamsin, right?"

Lauren nodded before kneeling down to make three snowballs, placing them in the snow in a triangle, "This is our riding formation. Acacia is the snowball at the top of the triangle, she'll have Kenzi. You and Tamsin will be on the right behind Acacia because Tamsin is Acacia's General. She's her right hand."

"So you and Momma will be on the left of us?"

Lauren nodded, "That's right, kiddo. You'll be able to see us the entire time."

Lulu clapped her hands, "I'm so excited, Momma. And you always wanted a pony for the stable!"

Bo nodded, "Yup!"

Lulu waved at the fire, "Bye stuff."

She turned and ran to Selia, jumping into her arms and giving her a hug, "Take care of Seera for me. Tell her I'm sorry I didn't get to see her again... and Deena too."

"I will, little one. You take care of your Momma, you hear? Work hard and remember... you have great power inside of you, little one and with great power..."

"... comes great responsibility." Lulu said, proud of herself for knowing the answer.

"Good girl. Use it wisely and use it for good."

Selia lowered the little girl to the ground and turned to Bo and Lauren, "Take care of each other. Keep the lines of communication open and your powers will flow through each other. May you find love, laughter... and a solution to this damn end of days bullshit!"

Bo laughed, "I love when you keep it real, Selia!"

They hugged, before pulling back, "Take care of those girls of yours. I know they'll take care of you."

She nodded before taking Lauren's hand, "Take care, Lauren. Don't be afraid to look inside and ask for what you want. It's time the Fae showed respect for Changelings rather than fear them. Show them what you've got, girlfriend!"

Lauren laughed as the Amazon pulled her in for a hug.

With one last wave, the three turned, escorted by a team of Valkyrie and headed for the lake. Seeing that Lulu was going to struggle with the now very deep snow, Bo hoisted her up to Tessa who placed her in the saddle of her Pegasus in front of her,

"There you are, kiddo. Take the reins and lead the way."

Lauren winked at Tessa who used her feet to guide her steed, "Look at her face, Bo. She's so excited."

Bo smiled, then mouthed a thank you to Tessa before turning to Lauren, "I think this is going to be good for us."

Lauren nodded. Packing, sorting through memories, burning their possessions... two big steps had led to the severing of Bo's ties to the lands she had been bound to her entire life. One day they may come back here to make new, good memories, but for now, she had to agree with her girlfriend. This was going to be good for them... all of them.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_


	5. Chapter 5: Change Is Good

_**A/N:**_ _As always, thank for the reviews, follows and favorites. FrenChi, to quote Bo, "Okay, French Police"... hahaha! Had to say it! I've spent a great deal of time around the language in my life, but the tu/vous is always tricky along with a bunch of others! I usually rely on Google Translate... not always accurate since it doesn't have the context but I hope you'll give me an A for effort! I know who to go to for French language help now! (boy are you in trouble! Haha!)._

 _Okay, here we go... new land coming up... a little fantasy-ish – translation: don't look stuff up because I made up a lot of it! Sorry to any earth/space science people in advance!_

 _If you're not LGReader, you can skip this paragraph and move on as this is specifically in response to her post... I tried to reach you through Twitter to reply, but apparently your account has been suspended. First, you've never met or spoken to me in any way, shape or form. You don't know me... not one bit, so don't pretend to know why I write. I certainly wouldn't write 20,000 word chapters for clicks... there are much less laborious ways to get click/likes. That said, I appreciate all constructive criticism as many reviewers have truly helped me a great deal, but your comments were far from constructive. Swearing at an author is not appropriate. Please note my story is labeled "supernatural/family" not romance. The "pairing" is Bo and Lauren because they ARE a couple in this story, though they are not the only focus because – again – the category is "supernatural/family", not romance, although there will certainly be a touch of that eventually. Kindly temper your future comments. Thank you for reading._

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 _ **CHAPTER 5: Change Is Good**_

The Pegasus steeds were all packed up and ready to go. Bo walked Lulu over to Tamsin and stood, waiting for her to finish tightening the saddle. When she was finished, she stepped back around the animal and came face to face with Bo,

"You know, I don't understand you."

Bo looked down at Lu, then back up at Tamsin, "Don't understand what about me?"

"You hate my guts. Why am I suddenly the best candidate to be her Guardian? She's the most important person in your life."

"You're a proud Valkyrie... a duty-bound Valkyrie. You won't let anything happen to her... you have too much pride to screw up."

"It's that simple, huh?"

Bo nodded, "Lauren trusts you, and Lulu likes you because you're a lot like her Aunt Kenzi... snarky, sarcastic and stubborn with the occasional outburst of funny."

Tamsin just stood, her mouth half open with no response for Bo's comment, so the Succubus continued,

"Lulu agreed that if it couldn't be Lauren, then she wanted it to be you. Out of all of the Valkyrie – and she knows most of them and gets along better with most of them – she chose you. I can only hope that this little piece of knowledge about how she feels means something to you... it does to me, because my daughter doesn't trust easily."

Bo took Lulu's pack and handed it to Tamsin,

"Finally, she's going to face things no child should face. I trust you to teach her to handle those things, although I am concerned about you forgetting that she is a child. So you should know that if anything happens to her, I'll kill you where you stand."

"O-kay then. Let's get this show on to the Milky Way then." Tamsin nodded, strapping Lulu's pack to the side of the horse.

"Are we really gonna go on the Milky Way?" Lulu asked.

Tamsin looked at Bo, who put a finger in each of the corners of her mouth and pulled, mouthing 'smile' to the Valkyrie. Tamsin cocked her head and flashed sarcastic smile at Bo before looking down at Lulu,

"Not exactly. But, you know where that is?"

Lulu scrunched up her face, "I think so, but you better drive. I'd hate for us to get lost. Space is really, really, really big."

Tamsin laughed, "Well, we're not going to space, kid. We're just going up above where the air is a bit thinner, then the Pegasus will skip off the... well, you'll see. Just hold on tight, kid."

"My name is Lulu."

Tamsin looked at Bo who was standing with her arms crossed, "Right. Lulu."

"Here... Lauren told me that your Pegasus likes carrots. I brought..." Lulu turned her head upside down, looking beneath the steed and then looked back up at Tamsin, "...him a snack. What's his name?"

Tamsin laughed, "Figures she'd know reproductive anatomy."

Bo glared at her, but Tamsin ignored her and turned back to Lulu,

"His name is Merlin and he thanks you for the carrots."

Bo went to speak, but Lauren walked up behind Tamsin and whispered in her ear. The Valkyrie rolled her eyes and turned back to Bo,

"Sorry about that comment, it was out of line. No fair picking on the kid... Ow." She looked over her shoulder to see Lauren glaring at her, "I mean... Lulu."

Bo looked down at Lulu, "It's not too late to pick another Guardian. Kate and Tessa are awesome."

Lulu looked at Tamsin, and then back to Bo, "I think Tamsin needs me, Momma. I'm gonna try to help her while she helps me."

"Okay, Lu. I'll leave it up to you for now."

"Thanks, Momma. It'll be all right. She won't let me get dead."

"She better not." Bo mumbled, zipping up Lulu's coat and pulling her hat down over her ears.

Lauren stepped in, "Okay, let's get this precious cargo on board."

She lifted Lulu up and leaned her over to Bo who gave her a kiss on the cheek and forehead before Lauren did the same, "Have fun, Lu."

"It's gonna be awesome! Come on, Tamsin!"

Lauren lifted Lulu onto the saddle and held her there while Tamsin settled in behind her.

"Okay, Lulu. I've attached foot straps to either side of Merlin's saddle for you. See them?"

"I can't see anything! He's huge and he's soft!"

Tamsin laughed, "Okay, let me help you out then."

She lifted each of the little girl's legs into the child-sized stirrups and then reached around her and buckled the additional saddle belt she'd attached to keep her from falling forward if she fell asleep.

"Hi Merlin! My name is Lulu! This is my first time on a Pegasus, so take care of me, okay? I'm really excited to ride with you and Tamsin. I've never even been on a plane, so this will be my first time up in the stars. It's cool to think of something that I've always stared out from the ground or the skylight in my bedroom or in the tree house being close enough for me to touch! Do you get cold when you fly in the winter? I hope not. I'll get a blanket for you when we land. I heard you like to be brushed and get massaged and stuff. I'm really little, but I could do your legs and feet."

Lulu looked left and right, then turned and looked to the left and right, leaning out to try to see the back,

"Whoa! What're you doin' there, Lulu? You're gonna fall off before we even get up in the air."

"How are we gonna fly? I don't see any wings. Are they broken?"

Tamsin smiled, "Nope. They come out from under your stirrups and he'll let them out soon enough."

"Are they speckled brown like his chest or are they all white like the rest of him?"

"They're all white."

Lulu looked to her left where Lauren and Bo were settling onto Aurora.

"Why's Momma sitting on the back? Isn't Lauren afraid she'll fall off?"

Tamsin's first thought was that she could only hope Bo would fall off, but she held her tongue, "Well, if your Momma sat in front of Lauren, she wouldn't be able to see. Plus, Bo's older so she should be able to hold on to Lauren from behind and stay put."

"So I'm in front because you'll grab me if I fall?"

Seeing Acacia signal, Tamsin reached down and grabbed the reins, "Nope, you're in front because now that I'm holding the reins, my arms are on either side of you. If you fall asleep, you're not going anywhere so just relax and enjoy the ride, Lulu."

Lulu looked up at Tamsin, "Are you kidding? I'm way too excited to fall asleep. I'm gonna fly!"

Tamsin looked down and smiled. She had to admit, this kid was cute, "Yes you are, now grab ahold of the saddle bar and get ready for take off. It gets a little bumpy when he starts to run."

"Okay! Momma! Lauren! I'm gonna fly! Aunt Kenzi, hold on tight!"

Kenzi looked back towards the group from the back of Acacia's Pegasus and gave a half smile.

"Aunt Tamsin? Kenzi doesn't look so good."

Tamsin looked at Bo, "Is she gonna get sick?"

"I don't know. I've never seen her look like that. She can pound back a fifth of Vodka and not feel a thing."

"Hold on, kid."

Tamsin moved up next to Acacia, "I think you may have a passenger problem."

Acacia turned around in her saddle and rolled her eyes at Kenzi, "Do not get sick on my Pegasus."

Lulu shook her head, "I got this."

The youngster looked over her shoulder, "Momma? Help!"

Lauren moved up next to Acacia, "What's up?"

"Lulu called for Bo. I don't know what she's thinking, but Kenzi looks like she's gonna be sick." Acacia explained.

"Momma, you can help her, right?"

"Lauren, can you..."

The blonde leaned in and gave Bo some of her chi.

"Damn that's good." Bo said, blushing when she realized she'd said it out loud.

She put a hand to Kenzi's forehead and used her powers to settle her down. They all watched as the color returned to her face.

"Better, Kenz?" Bo asked.

"Thanks, Bo. I needed that."

"Okay ladies, we're late so let's get this train on the road." Acacia spoke loud enough for all to hear before snapping her reins.

"Whoa!" Kenzi said, caught off guard. She gripped Acacia's jacket, "Oh. My. God! This is NOT normal!"

Acacia turned her head to the side, "It is for us... much safer than a plane... no mechanical parts and it doesn't break down."

Kenzi spoke nervously, "Well, that makes this all that much better."

Tamsin and Lauren nodded to each other when they were sure Acacia had enough distance on them. Their steeds extended their large white wings and, with a snap of the reins, they galloped a few strides, and then lifted off into the night sky.

"WAAHOOOO! THIS IS SO COOL!" Lulu leaned back into Tamsin's chest, her arms extended over her head while the blonde laughed at the enthusiasm of the small child. Too bad this kid wasn't born a Valkyrie. She would have been a natural.

"Lauren, look at her. She's so happy. I've never seen her this excited about anything." Bo said, her head leaning on Lauren's shoulders watching Lulu's celebration.

"You see? Change is good."

Bo leaned up and whispered in Lauren's ear, "Well, there's one change I'm glad never happened."

Lauren turned her head so Bo would hear her, "What change is that?"

"The way we feel about each other." Bo replied.

The blonde smiled, "Well, I can certainly agree with that."

Bo looked at the sky above her, "It's so beautiful up here."

Lauren laughed, "I flew for four hours on my first flight. I didn't want to come down... but then I remembered this beautiful, sweet, sexy brunette and I just had to land."

Bo smiled, "You think I'm sexy?"

"Out of all of the adjectives I used, sexy is the one you hear?" Lauren chuckled.

"Well, I am a Succubus."

The pair was pulled from their chat by Lulu's voice,

"Momma! Lauren! Look at the stars! Aren't they incredible! Tamsin just showed me the Big Dipper and the Little Dipper!"

"It's amazing, Lu! Just like you said!" Bo called back before whispering to Lauren, "Wow, Tamsin is already teaching her."

"So she is." Lauren smiled.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

"Hold on tight, little one. When we land, you're gonna get jostled around a bit." Tamsin said, pulling her elbows in tighter around Lulu and snugging up the reins in her hands.

"But can't I land him? Please? I got us this far." Lulu said.

Tamsin had been surprised enough that the youngster had been awake the entire time, but she was even more shocked that she had never shut up once... her energy never waning one bit about how close they were to the moon and the stars.

"Easy there, half pint. I let you steer for take off, but the landing is pretty tricky."

"But why doesn't he just land himself? He doesn't want to hurt himself, does he?"

There's that curiosity again.

"Good point." Tamsin replied, "But he may not take into account his brothers and sisters coming from behind and on both sides. We want to make sure he doesn't take off running to stretch his legs."

"Got it... he lands and I yell whoa Merlin! Easy peasy!"

Tamsin just shook her head. Bo's kid sure was full of spunk. The kid knew no fear and while most of the time, the Valkyrie would think that was a good thing, she also knew that her love of Bo, Lauren and Kenzi could make that kind of fear dangerous in battle. People in love did stupid, stupid things in battle. She'd learned that the hard way.

She looked to her left, Lauren giving her a nod to land behind Acacia.

"Momma! Lolo! I'm gonna land Merlin! Watch me!"

"Okay, sweetie! We're watching!"

"Bo, she hasn't slept a wink." Lauren smiled, waving back at Lulu.

"I know. She sure will crash tonight."

"I don't know about that. When she sees the world we're traveling to, she will have a whole new reason to be excited again."

"Where are we going, Lauren?"

"A place where everything you never thought was possible becomes possible."

"So we're going to Disney World?"

Lauren chuckled, "Somewhere much, much better. Hold on, baby. We're passing through the portal. Things get a bit bumpy from here."

"Lulu! Hold on tight, sweetie!" Bo said, watching her daughter's smile broaden as they approached the Aurora Borealis, "Tamsin, she's not..."

"I've got her Bo... you have my word she will not fall!"

Bo watched as Tamsin released a rein and pulled Lulu tight to her body. She could see the Valkyrie's jaw tense and her legs tighten against he body of her Pegasus, her ankles wiggling back and forth, pushing further into the stirrups.

"Bo? You're holding on awfully tight there, sweetie." Lauren said, tightening her hold on the reins.

Bo looked at her arms and smiled, loosening her hold, "Sorry. I was watching Lulu and..."

"Tamsin will not let her fall, Bo. However, if you don't relax and enjoy this incredible view, this Valkyrie may just allow your demise." Lauren said, trying to keep a straight face.

"You wouldn't."

"Drop you on your gorgeous ass? Why yes, I would."

Bo laughed and leaned in, staring over Lauren's shoulder, "My Gods, Lauren. I've never seen anything so beautiful in my life."

"I have." Lauren said, turning her head to place a kiss on Bo's temple.

"Cheesy."

"Honest." Lauren replied, "If I had my choice of this view or a view of your face for the rest of my lifetime, I would choose your face every day of the week and twice on Sundays."

"Me too." Bo smiled, looking ahead as they began a steep descent into the Aurora. The streaks of green, purple and gold illuminated the sky in a way that Bo had never seen before. The feeling of Lauren's strong frame in her arms made the entire event that much more exhilarating. As they moved closer, Bo could feel a tingle run through her,

"It feels... electric... powerful." Bo said, her eyes glowing a brilliant blue.

"It's very cool actually," Lauren began, "The Aurora are the result of electrons colliding with the upper reaches of our planet's atmosphere. The electrons fall through the magnetic field in these ice regions, collide with the oxygen and nitrogen and bam... instant energy. When they relax again, they release their energy in the form of light. It's much like a neon light you see in a store window."

Lauren looked back to see Bo's eyes were a fierce shade of blue, "Izzy? Are you okay?"

Bo stared straight ahead, the feeling of energy paralyzing her, "It's just... it feels like a Succubus feast. What's happening to me, Lauren?"

"Hold on tight, Bo. We're about to enter the Aurora Substorm."

Bo looked to her right where her daughter was looking back at her, eyes glowing brilliant lavender as they entered the storm. Lulu gave her a thumbs-up which Bo returned before they were surrounded by brilliant hues of color. Bo felt like she was floating as the energy from the Aurora filled her being.

Lauren focused on the opening to the portal ahead, slowing her Pegasus as Tamsin moved ahead, the entire group falling in single file. One at a time, each of them disappeared through the portal, a slipstream of white light, before finally, they broke out of the slipstream and into a crystal clear blue sky.

Lauren looked over her shoulder to see Bo scowling slightly, her eyes still blazing an intense blue.

"Bo? Are you okay?" Lauren received no response from her girlfriend, "Ya! Ya!"

She pushed Aurora harder until she was next to Tamsin, where she noticed Lulu was no longer shouting and yelling. She was staring straight ahead, her skin glowing a light lavender,

"Tamsin! Tamsin!"

"Something's wrong, Lauren! She's been like this since we entered the slipstream!"

The worry on Tamsin's face was apparent. Lauren replied,

"Bo too! Something is having an effect on them."

Tamsin looked down, "We're almost there, I'll fly ahead to Acacia and let her know that she should go on to the stables with the others. I think we need to keep going and set down in the village so we can take them right to Jadis."

Lauren nodded her agreement as the two dove steeply to catch Acacia, Tamsin pointing to Lulu's eyes and nodding in the opposite direction. Acacia nodded and continued on while her two Valkyrie peeled off to the left.

As they came into the village, people scattered, some pointing to the sky and screaming as they ran. They hadn't meant to scare anyone, but they needed Jadis... especially if Bo was losing control.

They made their approach on the snow-covered road at the center of town where ten White Witches stood in formation, their staff's drawn.

"Shit. I hope they don't spell us." Tamsin yelled, "Disarm, Lauren."

The two pulled their swords from their saddle sheaths and threw them hard at the ground in front of them before landing, hands in the air,

"I am Lauren, Daughter of Jadis the Leader of the White Witches. I am in need of her knowledge. Please stay back. The Chosen One has changed during our descent through the slipstream, as has her daughter. We are concerned."

Jadis appeared as if by thin air and approached, two other witches just behind her. Lauren recognized the two as Amara and Aris, the Twins of Fortune.

"Lauren, this is highly unusual."

The blonde felt Bo dismount and walk to the front of the Pegasus. She quickly dismounted and ran to the Succubus, trying to step in front of her, but Bo held out her arm and stopped her... she spoke in a voice now familiar to both Lauren and Tamsin,

"You threaten the mate of the Chosen One? No harm shall come to the Changeling or the Seer."

The Seer? Who is the Seer? Lauren looked at Tamsin who was pointing at Lulu, now approaching Bo to stand beside her. Lulu spoke,

"If you choose to challenge us, it will not end well for you."

Jadis turned and whispered to Aris who bowed, then signaled for her sister witches to retreat. The White Witch stepped forward, moving to bended knee and holding her staff out horizontal to the ground,

"I offer my fealty, my staff and my knowledge to the Chosen One, the Changeling and The Seer. I mean no harm to you and yours, My Queen."

Lauren reached out, placing a gentle hand on Bo's shoulder, "Bo..."

The Succubus turned and looked at the blonde, cocking her head to the side as if searching her memory for who this woman was,

"Izzy... it's me... your Lolo. Please... come back to me."

"Lolo?"

Lauren nodded, "It's me, Izzy... it's me. Come back to me, baby. Please come back to me."

Her eyes turned blue, "Lauren? Wha... what happened? Where are we? Wha..."

Lauren watched as Bo's eyes turned brown just before her legs gave out. She caught her just as she heard Tamsin yell,

"Lulu!"

Lauren sat, holding Bo while Tamsin now sat holding an unconscious Lulu. She looked up at Jadis,

"Their powers kicked into high gear just as we entered the portal. Bo described the feeling as a Succubus feast. I think they were being fed by the power of the Aurora and the slipstream."

Jadis walked to the group, "Ah, they are more powerful than I suspected."

"Well, they're not looking too powerful right now." Tamsin replied, slipping her hand under Lulu's head to support her neck.

"While I'm sure the good Doctor here would have a very scientific explanation for the Aurora and the slipstream, the truth in our world is that it is pure life energy... the very thing that your friends here feed on to survive."

"But if they just fed, why are they unconscious? When Bo feeds Lulu, she gets hyperactive, not unconscious." Lauren asked.

"Think of it as you've just eaten a very large meal. What happens afterwards?"

"You get sleepy."

Jadis nodded, "They'll be fine. They'll just need to sleep for a bit."

The White Witch turned, "Change of plans, sisters. We'll delay until sunrise."

One at a time, the witches shimmered away while Amara and Aris stepped forward, "Lauren, sister... it is good to see you again."

"Thank you, Amara... Aris."

"If it's okay with you, we will take them to your Yurt."

Lauren nodded, "Please put them in the bed together. Lulu will be afraid when she wakes in a strange place."

Aris nodded, moving to Tamsin, "Please... you'll have to remove your hands or you will travel with us."

"I stay with the child. Where she goes, I go. I am the Guardian." Tamsin replied, her voice stern, her face filled with conviction.

"Tamsin, I'll take Merlin back to the stable with Aurora and meet you in the Yurt after I meet with Jadis." Lauren looked up at the Leader who nodded her agreement.

Placing a kiss on Bo's forehead, Lauren released her and watched as Amara disappeared just before Aris disappeared with Lulu and Tamsin. She remained on the ground for a moment, staring at the pure white snow beneath her,

"You're right, Bo. Nothing is ever easy."

She stood, taking the reins of the two steeds and bowed her head to Jadis who shimmered away, then turned and headed to the stables.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

"So, what's the verdict?" Acacia asked, "And where's Tamsin?"

"Tamsin is taking her role as Guardian quite seriously."

"Good, she's bonded with the child." Acacia nodded, brushing down her Pegasus.

Lauren looked to her left to see Kenzi sound asleep on some hay bales, "What happened to her?"

Acacia laughed, "I'm not sure if she passed out from fear or fell asleep. Either way, unconscious is the way I prefer this Human. She doesn't shut up."

Lauren smiled, "She does have the gift of gab."

"So, what was with the power surge?" Acacia asked.

"It was just that, a power surge. Apparently, the scientific interpretation of the Aurora and the slipstream are somewhat inaccurate when it comes to the Fae."

"Are you really surprised?" Acacia asked as Lauren gave Aurora a carrot before turning to begin brushing Merlin.

"I'll take care of Merlin. You get Aurora." Acacia said, giving her Pegasus a carrot and a slap on the hindquarter.

"Thank you."

They switched steeds and went to work, "So this power surge. What does Jadis think happened?"

"Well, went we entered the Aurora, both Bo and Lulu started to react. Bo described it as a Succubus buffet. Apparently, the energy that I thought was just... well, in laymen's terms static electricity, if really life energy."

Acacia nodded, "What did you learn of the death of a Valkyrie?"

"That if I die as a Valkyrie, I'll be reborn over and over again until I have achieved my birth destiny. If I remain a Valkyrie and die in my final life, I will rise and will exist in Folkvangr as pure energy."

Acacia nodded, "It's no coincidence that Tamsin knows the way to the world of the White Witches."

"Why is that?"

"Tamsin is in her last life."

"What?"

Acacia sighed, "She is in her last life. When she dies, she will rise. My only concern is that she will leave no legacy behind. Perhaps that is why she has suddenly bonded with the child."

"Legacy?"

"Something you will learn if you do not change. A legacy is something through which you will be remembered. Most of us wish to leave behind a child, but I fear Tamsin has closed off her heart to such feelings."

"You never know what can happen with the heart." Lauren replied, moving to brush Aurora's legs.

"Agreed, but perhaps her birth destiny and her legacy are one and the same."

"Lulu." Lauren said quietly.

Acacia nodded, "Jadis was very quick to assign the Guardianship to Tamsin..."

"No, she was chosen by Lulu."

"So much for my theory." Acacia replied.

"Not necessarily. When Bo was in that power trance, she called Lulu 'The Seer'. Maybe there was a subconscious reason from Lulu's Fae that caused her to choose Tamsin."

"Okay, so my theory is still alive." Acacia smiled.

"It looks as though it may be." Lauren replied, her smile disappearing as her face twisted into deep concentration, "So, Acacia, the energy fields we flew through to get here... if the energy is life force energy, then..."

"It would seem a portal to Folkvangr could exist within the Aurora just as the portal to this land exists there."

Lauren nodded, "Incredible."

"So I take it team Dennis didn't kill anyone when you landed?"

"We had a tense moment, but they snapped out of it... well... they passed out, actually. That usually happens to Bo when she goes super Succubus, but Lulu usually passes out from a power shortage. Jadis believes they just need to sleep of the excess power as one would a heavy meal."

Acacia laughed, "Ah, like American Thanksgiving... I love that holiday."

Lauren nodded, "I never learned to love it as a kid. My Mother insisted on roast duck instead of turkey and I hated duck."

"All done here, Merlin." Acacia gave him a carrot, "Nice work, boy. Tamsin's proud of you and I could hear Lulu's excitement from five hundred yards away. Thank you for making her so happy."

Merlin reared up, and then nodded his head several times upon landing before heading off to the feed stall with Aurora.

The two Valkyrie returned the grooming equipment to the box and headed out of the barn, "So what now?"

"Jadis is waiting to see me."

Acacia nodded, "A little mother-daughter chat?"

"Well, I know she wasn't happy with us landing in the middle of the village."

Acacia laughed, "Well, if you need me to vouch for you, I will. I allowed the two of you to break off because I was worried about my Valkyrie becoming a Succubus buffet. Odin only knows what Lulu is capable of now that she's not going to be fed on all day, every day."

Lauren nodded, "The Valkyrie are in the visitor's Yurt. I believe yours is adjacent to theirs."

"Thanks, Lauren. Good luck with Jadis."

Lauren nodded and headed off to meet with the Leader of the White Witches. Hopefully, she would understand why she made the decision she made.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

"Come in, child. Please, sit." Jadis said, pointing to the space on the ground in front of her.

Lauren walked into the large, spacious Yurt that included a sleeping area, potions area, ritual area and a meeting area. At the center of the home was a large round stone hearth, the hanging chimney extending all the way up down until it hung just over the flames. It certainly did its job in warming the space. She sat on the rug opposite Jadis,

"Thank you, Mother."

Jadis nodded, "So... that was... eventful."

"Apologies, Mother. I was concerned that if we landed with the rest of the Valkyrie..."

"You were unsure if your mate would feed from them."

"Yes. We've seen her do such a thing before when she loses control of her powers. Her voice..."

"What you heard if the Voice of the Ages. It is how the Ancients called to one another. Fortunately, none of them are in this plane to hear the call. Lauren, I must warn you, Ysabeau is incredibly powerful. If she lost control, I am unsure if we would be able to contain her. It is imperative that we begin her training as soon as possible. Now that she is no longer near the portal, all of her power is hers and being channeled through her body and mind... Lulu the same."

Lauren nodded, "So am I in danger? Being around her? She would never forgive herself if she harmed me in any way."

Jadis shook her head, "Remember that you will become what you must. You of all here are likely the safest."

"What about Lulu?"

"Ah yes, the child. She referred to her as The Seer. That is of great assistance."

"Why is that?"

"It tells us of her powers and which of us must work with the child. We know more than we did before you came through the portal, Lauren. This is good news for both of them as long as we begin in the morning."

Lauren nodded, "Is there anything else? I'd like to be there when they wake up. Tamsin is alone with both of them and if Bo goes nuclear again..."

"Child, I must ask one thing of you. I'm afraid this is a bit awkward, so I will just... what's that Human expression I love so much... ah, yes... rip off the Band-Aid. I love those little adhesive strips. What a fantastic invention."

Lauren chuckled. Jadis had this strange fascination with all things Human... TV shows, food trends, clothing, diseases and how they survive despite being so much more fragile than the Fae. Lauren found it to be one of her most endearing qualities. She could only hope that Kenzi would feel the same.

"Certainly. What is it?"

"I need to ask you not to engage in any... how do I put this... intimate acts... with Ysabeau tonight. I'm concerned that a full feed may trigger a repeat performance of what happened earlier."

Lauren smiled, "That's not a problem, Jadis. I believe she has been fully fed from the life energy we encountered on the way here. Besides, her daughter will be in the room with us."

Jadis nodded, "Only for tonight. Tomorrow, she will be moved to a neutral Yurt with Tamsin, Kate and Tessa. Amara has already gone to speak with Kate and Tessa. They will be Lulu's personal guard, giving Tamsin some additional support if she should need to have... personal time."

Lauren smiled, "Of course. Is that all then?"

"Yes, child. May your dreams lead you to the answers you seek."

"Thank you, Mother."

Lauren stood and moved towards the exit, stopping when she heard Jadis call to her,

"Lauren?"

"Yes?"

"Try to relax, huh?"

"Yes, Mother."

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

Lauren entered her Yurt and hung her pack on the rack before taking off her jacket and doing the same. She moved over to where Tamsin was sitting on the floor next to where Lulu lay,

"Any change?"

Tamsin shook her head, "They're both still out cold. What did Jadis say?"

"Not much, honestly. She did say she assigned Kate and Tessa to Lulu's personal guard so you could take occasional breaks. They're outside."

Tamsin nodded, "Good to know. I'll need one of those soon... gotta pee, but I'm too tired to get up. Nap first... with one eye open."

"Tamsin, you can sleep." Lauren replied, wandering around to the other side to sit beside Bo.

"Lauren... I don't get it... why did she choose me to be the Guardian?"

The Doctor shrugged, "You already know... Lulu likes you because you remind her of Kenzi and she knows you take your vow as a Valkyrie seriously. Beyond that, I cannot say."

"No, you will not say." Tamsin replied.

Lauren shook her head, "Look, Bo may not like you, but when it comes to her daughter, she's smart enough to know to put those feelings aside to keep her alive. I also think it may have something to do with the fact that you trained me, so training Lulu doesn't take such a leap of faith."

Tamsin shrugged, "So... you still won't say."

"Honestly, I'm not sure what her entire thought process was. With all that's happened, we didn't really have much time to anything other than pack up the cabin, talk to the Amazons and leave. Why is knowing her reason so important to you?"

Tamsin shook her head, "I don't know... for some reason it's just... it's nagging at me."

"Well, my specialty is not Psychiatry, but if I had to guess, you treated her like shit and now you feel guilty because she turned around and trusted her with the single most important treasure in her world."

"No, that would be you."

"Bo will always put Lulu first and so will eye."

"Parenting already?" Tamsin asked with a smirk.

Lauren looked up at Lulu, "I can't help it... it's just second nature to me." Lauren smiled at the child, "If you'd have known Bo as I did when we were younger, you'd see what I see."

"What's that?"

"She is so much like her Mother it's like Izzy was reborn."

"Funny, I thought she was tons like you."

Lauren smiled, "She's definitely got the nerd factor going, but when all of your spare time has been spent in a cabin filled with more books and computer parts than toys, I'd say it was a given from the start."

Tamsin looked at Lulu, "Well, I have to admit, whatever the Succubus did, she did it right. She's a great kid."

Lauren smiled at the Valkyrie, giving her a nod before she reached out and pushed the stray locks of Bo's hair from her face, trailing her fingers down and twisting the curl at the bottom before carefully laying it on her shoulder. She leaned down and whispered softly in her ear,

" _You knew all along, didn't you? You knew your little Lulu would melt that cold Valkyrie heart."_

Lauren smiled, looking down at the woman who had stolen her heart so very long ago,

"She looks so peaceful now. It's hard to believe that inside of her is this powerful creature that wants to come out and take over the world."

Tamsin chuckled, "I think that's a bit of an exaggeration."

Lauren shrugged, "I'm not so sure. Jadis told me that when her voice sounds the way it did earlier, it's called _The Voice of the Ages_ and it's a call to the Ancients."

"Great... that's just great. Zeus, Hera, Aphrodite, Ares, Hephaestus... Hades... and a lot more of those power hungry assholes will be after us?"

"Apparently. She certainly has a string of nice Aunts and Uncles." Lauren replied.

"Yea... well, I wouldn't expect an invite to family dinner. They're not exactly the sort Bo would be happy to bring your girlfriend home to unless she were offering you up for a meal."

Lauren nodded, "Well, I certainly won't mind not meeting that group."

"Ditto. I'm gonna crash for a bit. That ride kicked my ass." Tamsin said, pulling a blanket over her and laying down on the rug next to Lulu."

Lauren nodded, "Me too. It didn't seem so long the last time we were here."

"That has something to do with space-time warping or something like that."

Lauren nodded, "Yes, during the varying seasons, the... well, in layman's terms... bending of time... may place the two points – departure and arrival points, that is – closer or farther away depending on..."

"Lewis, I really don't care. No offense to your love of science, but I'm freakin' tired and I'm sure little miss energizer bunny will be up ten minutes after I fall asleep, so if you don't mind..."

"Sleep now... save the science lecture for later... got it."

Lauren held her breath as Lulu began to stir, turning into Bo and curling up against her, the Mother wrapping a protective arm instinctively around the young girl. The sight made Lauren's heart swell with love for both of her girls. She sat staring at the pair for quite some time, the soft snores of the child and the light breathing of her girlfriend bringing a peaceful end to an otherwise stressful day. Finally, as her eyes became heavy, she placed a light kiss on Bo's cheek before settling down on rug next to Bo, a dagger beneath her pillow and a sword in her sheath.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

Sunlight flickered into the yurt through the opening in the ceiling casting golden rays of sunlight onto the sleeping brunette's face. Her eyes fluttered open, hand immediately shielding her eyes before she realized she wasn't in her bed. She went to move her arm but found it was numb. Looking down, she saw her daughter sleeping soundly, a mass of black hair covering her face. She smiled while simultaneously dreading the thought of trying to get a brush through that mop this morning. Lulu would surely fight her the entire time. Maybe she would have the Valkyrie endure the wrath of the morning duty. Wasn't that what Guardian's were for?

She carefully slid her arm out so as not to disturb her little sleeper, chuckling to herself at the thought of the blonde doing anything Motherly, although Bo had to admit, Tamsin did handle the ride in last night fairly well. While Bo couldn't hear everything her daughter had said, she did know that Lulu never stopped talking the entire ride... at least not until they hit that bright light.

"What was that?" She asked herself, not aware that there was a wide-awake blonde right next to her.

"That was called the Aurora Borealis and the Aurora slipstream... ironically while riding a Pegasus named Aurora." Lauren chuckled to herself.

"Yea... ironic." Bo smiled, "Do I get a good morning kiss? It feels like forever since I've had any time alone with you."

"It has actually been a little over two weeks... if you consider the time difference."

"Two weeks?"

Lauren nodded, "Time moves more slowly here. If you went home now, you would relive several days over again."

Bo nodded, "Hmmm... well, if we could take back that argument, the two I had with Kenzi, the Lulu meltdown because of my screw up, the attack by the Hunters and... well, the need to heal..."

"Bo, please drop that. I am alive because you healed. We don't have to relive that every time the past is brought up."

Bo frowned, "I'm sorry, Lauren but... every time I see those two Valkyrie, I..."

"Don't, Bo... just... please... I have to see them too and the more we dwell on it, the more I'll think of it too. Can't we just forget about it? It was a feed... nothing more. If it was, you'd be with them and not me."

Bo scowled, "Nothing personal, but just... no... and... no... and... oh, Gods no."

"Okay then, so I guess that's a no?"

Bo laughed, "Come here and kiss me, woman."

"Uh, no... not until you brush your teeth. Two weeks, remember?"

"Well, it hasn't actually been two weeks."

Lauren held up Bo's small backpack, "Toiletries... brush."

"Fine. I have to pee anyway, but this delay means I get an extra delicious kiss."

Lauren smiled as Bo climbed out of the bed.

"Uh... where am I going to the bathroom anyway?"

"Behind that screen."

"Wait... there's no actual bathroom?"

"You're in a yurt, Bo."

"So... when I go..."

"It will just be you and me in here, Bo."

"Wait... where is Lulu going?"

"Tamsin has a yurt here. She'll be with her Guardian who, may I remind you... you chose."

"Yea, but I didn't think we'd be apart." Bo replied.

"Bo, this is part of her training. She needs to be able to defend herself and to do that, she can't have you fighting her battles for her. Besides, she'll only be in the next row over. You can watch her train when you aren't training, you can see her at village meals, you can visit her anytime you aren't training yourself."

Bo sighed, moving towards the barrier. She stopped and looked back at Lulu before continuing into the bathroom area to freshen up.

Lauren sighed, knowing the next several days were going to be an adjustment. Her girlfriend had already been through so much change and now there was more to come. Those changes were bound to trigger strong emotions and when they combined with access to the full force of her powers... well... Lauren was worried. Would the witches be able to contain her if she went super Succubus on them... on the village?

"Momma!"

Lulu sat up straight, screaming for Bo who came running, eyes a brilliant shade of blue. By the time Bo reached her side, she was already in Lauren's arms. The blonde looked up at her girlfriend,

"It's okay, Bo. I've got her. You can relax."

Lulu tucked her head into Lauren's neck while the blonde stood and stared at the Succubus.

"Bo?"

"My child."

"Yes. Would you like to hold her?"

"My child."

Lauren stood, carefully, moving towards Bo with Lulu in her arms. Bo leaned in to Lauren's neck, sniffing at the blonde before pulling back and cocking her head to one side. Lauren placed a hand on Bo's upper arm,

"Bo? Do you want to hold her?" Lauren looked down at the little girl, "Lulu? Would you like Momma to hold you?"

Lulu looked up at Bo, her eyes glowing lavender. She reached out and touched Bo's forehead with a single finger, holding the contact for a long moment before Bo's eyes turned to brown. The brunette gently grasped her child's hand before looking at Lauren,

"Sorry. I just... maybe it's not good for you to be around me right now." Bo turned to walk away, but Lauren gripped her wrist. Bo's eyes wandered down until they were focused on the contact,

"No, Bo. This is why we came here. Where you go, I go. I will not be staying away, so push that right out of your head. I am your soul mate, your partner. By your side is where I will be."

Bo looked at Lauren, then Lulu who replied, "It's okay, Momma. I told your Succubus to chill out. She gets it now."

"Wh-what?"

"Me and your Succubus. We had a talk. She loves Lauren. She just wasn't sure where we were. She was confused like I was when I woke up. This place smells different to us and Lauren smells different then she did before too."

Bo scowled before taking a step towards Lauren, "Sorry for this I just..."

Lauren pulled back a bit, but then decided to relax and go with it, allowing Bo to inhale her scent.

"She's right. You do smell... different."

"Well, I supposed I could use a shower, but..."

"No, Lauren... it's not just your scent..."

"It's your aura too." Lulu added, "It looks like the Aurora... it's got all of those colors and it feels..." Lulu held up her hand a small distance from Laurens' cheek, "... sparkly."

"I can feel your energy from here. Usually I have to touch you, but you feel... electric." Bo smiled.

Lauren looked at the two, confused by what they were saying when it finally hit her, "Change in smell and aura... it's... it's my Changeling... I guess I'm not completely Valkyrie anymore?"

Bo shrugged, "You will change as needed... that's what Jadis keeps telling us."

"But you shouldn't need any energy. Bo, last night..."

"Oh, believe me... I know about last night. If I could live inside that Aurora, I would never have to feed ever again. It was like I was on crack."

"What's crack, Momma?"

Bo rolled her eyes, cursing herself for having said that in front of her daughter, "It's a drug that's really, really, really bad for you."

"But the Aurora felt really good. Is it bad to feel good?"

Bo and Lauren looked at each other, Lauren stifling her laughter, "It is not bad to feel good unless the thing making you feel good is bad for you."

"Huh?"

"I think this is a conversation better suited for when you're older." Bo replied.

"Oh, man! I cannot wait until I'm thirteen!" Lulu said, scrambling out of Lauren's arms. She ran across the yurt, stopped and ran back, holding her privates as she danced back and forth, "I gotta pee really, really bad."

"Come on squirt." Bo replied, hoisting her daughter up and off to the bathroom while Lauren laughed.

"Ugh, my back is killing me."

Lauren's attention was pulled to her teacher who was trying to stand up, clearly stiff from sleeping on the floor.

"I can't wait to be in my own yurt tonight." She looked up at Lauren, "Did they put a bed in there for the kid?"

"Her name is Lulu and if you ask, they'll put one in there. Just be warned that she may crawl into bed with you if she's having a tough time being away from Bo."

"No, that will go against our training regimen. I'll be in the same yurt with her, that's close enough."

"Tamsin, at least give her a few nights to adjust. Remember, this kid has been alone in the woods for all of her life. She was either alone, with Bo or with Kenzi. Show a little compassion for that because I know you have enough in your little finger to do so."

"Yea, my little finger is loaded with compassion. That'll get her one night in my bed."

The pair quieted down when Bo entered the room, "Make sure you brush for at least 2 minutes, Lu!"

Bo came out wagging her wet toothbrush at Lauren, "Where should I put this?"

Lauren took the object from Bo, "There's a shelf in the bathroom on the wall behind the sink. I'll put it back and put Lu's with it too."

"Thanks, babe."

Lauren kissed Bo's cheek and walked towards the bathroom as Bo turned to Tamsin,

"So, thanks for taking care of Lulu last night. I know it probably wasn't easy to handle all of the chit-chat the entire ride."

Tamsin laughed, "Yea, your daughter sure does have the gift of gab. It's cool, really. She's an equal mix of you, Kenzi and Lauren."

"Well, just don't go adding your snark and anger to the mix, okay? I want my daughter's character to remain intact. She's not a Valkyrie... she's... well, she's..."

"She's your daughter. I get it. I promise you, Bo... I will not turn her into a killer."

Bo shrugged, "I wish that were true, Tamsin but the truth is, she's going to have to learn to kill if she's going to survive what's coming. As much I would love to believe that she will be hiding in some safe room somewhere, I know all too well that my enemy's will know enough to come after the people I love... Kenzi and Lauren need to be as prepared as Lulu is."

Tamsin nodded, "Well, Kenzi will be receiving her training from the White Witches."

"What?" Bo asked, shocked.

"Bo, she's a target... part of the Prophecy. She has to be able to defend herself."

Bo shook her head, "But she's Human... she isn't part of this fight."

"You just said it yourself... they'll come after the ones you love and she is one of those people, Bo... human or not, she's going to be a target. Now, would you rather her be a target who can defend herself or a target who's a sitting duck?"

"But I can defend her... I can send her away."

"Where, Bo? Hades is as close to a God as the Fae can get and we can't rule out the rest of your crazy ass Aunts and Uncles coming into this plane if Hades makes it through. She needs..."

"Okay, okay! I get it!" Bo said, raising her hands to Tamsin, "I never wanted this for her. I never wanted any of this for her. She just..."

"She just wanted to stay, Bo. She found a home with you and Lulu. People love who they love... it's not something any of us can help. Kenzi made her choice and now she'll have to prepare herself to live the life she chose... a life with a Fae family."

"What do you know about love?"

Tamsin sighed, "I know you think I'm a cold-hearted bitch, but I know more about love than you think... I know how powerful it can make you feel when you have it and how weak it can make you feel when you lose it. So... let's make your loved ones as strong as they can be so you never have to know how it feels to lose them."

Bo nodded, staring at Tamsin as if analyzing her entire life. It made the Valkyrie uncomfortable,

"So..." She slapped her legs and turned towards the bathroom, "Any day now, squirt! It's time for the White Witch buffet at the village cafeteria and damn these ladies can cook up a mean stew!"

Lulu came skipping out from behind the bamboo screen with Lauren smiling behind her. The blonde handed Tamsin a brush,

"Before breakfast, brush."

Bo crossed her arms over her chest and smirked.

Tamsin sat down on the end of the bed, "Come here, kid. Let's deal with this mop of hair on your head. You know, I think your Mom and Lauren think they can scare me with a brush, but let me teach you a little something about Valkyrie. We have very, very special hair and handling it is something we do several times a day. You're going to be training, so I'm going to give you a very special hairstyle so it's out of your way."

Lulu turned her head, but Tamsin turned it right back, "Are you gonna give me a Valkyrie hairstyle?"

Tamsin smiled, "I am, so hold still and we'll be done in two minutes."

"It takes my Momma about a half hour to do my hair... mostly because I have to stop to scream at her every few minutes because it always hurts. I know curly hair is really hard to deal with, so its not really her fault, but I hope that when I'm older my hair will just be wavy like hers instead of all curly. Curls get really tangly and, well I've seen pictures of my Daddy and his hair wasn't super curly so maybe I'll get lucky. My grandfather's bald so I hope I don't get bald. I would look funny bald."

"All done, kid."

Lulu snapped her head around at Tamsin and then looked up at Bo who was standing there, a shocked look on her face,

"Momma? Is my hair done?"

Bo nodded, walking to her daughter to feel the thick, straight hair pulled up into a pony tail with two long thing items that looked like short knitting needles holding it all together.

"How did you..."

"Brush, then hand, brush, then hand... it's a Valkyrie thing. We got skills."

Tamsin stood up, crossing her arms over her chest, she smiled, admiring her work, "I'll teach you what those sticks are for later."

Bo looked at Tamsin, "What are they for?"

Tamsin took her own hair, wrapped it in a bun and pulled the same stick from inside her leather jacket. Sticking it in the bun, she turned towards the bathroom screen,

"Hair accessory..." She pulled it from her hair and threw it hard, embedding it in a bamboo pole, "... and a weapons."

Bo turned her lips out, nodding her head, "Nice."

"You'll learn, Succubus. Come on, squirt, it's time for breakfast."

"Bye Momma!" Lulu said as Bo turned, but before she could get a hug and a kiss goodbye, her daughter was out the door, following the Valkyrie.

"Great... there goes the Guardian with my daughter."

Lauren smiled, wrapping her arms around Bo's waist, "She'll be fine, Bo. She's in good hands. Tamsin's a good teacher... she taught me, didn't she?"

Bo pouted, "I just hope she doesn't turn her into her own private mini-me."

Laughing, Lauren turned Bo around, "She is 100% mini-Bo."

"Well, she better focus on teaching her skills and powers, not personality."

"Like I said, she taught me and I'm still very much the same."

Bo wrapped her arms around Lauren, "Well, the village cafeteria sounds like it might have a long line at the buffet... seeing as they're feeding the entire village plus the new arrivals from last night. What do you say I teach you a little something about Succubi?"

Lauren smiled, then frowned, "Bo, Jadis asked me to refrain from allowing you to feed from me for the time being."

"What? I mean... Geez! Now they're going to interfere in my sex life too?"

Lauren frowned, "It's my sex life too and I didn't think we were going there yet."

"I mean... of course not... not if you aren't ready. I mean..."

"Bo, I'm sorry... I... I am ready... I mean... I do want to take that next step with you... once Lulu is out of my yurt, that is."

"Oh... right." Bo nodded.

"But, Bo... you may not feel it right now, but you are still very much hopped up on chi and had Lulu not been here earlier, I'm not sure that I could have talked you down. Your Succubus took charge very quickly and..."

"Yea... what was that? And what did Lulu do to me?"

Lauren shook her head, pulling Bo closer, "I don't know, Bo but you were clearly not fully in control. Then, she touched your forehead for a long while and just like that, you were back to being... well, you."

"So... no sexy times?"

Lauren sighed, "Temporarily. Because honestly, I feel... I... I can't explain it but I feel... drawn to you."

"This place... it's... different."

"Well, Hades, his Hunters, the Portal... none of these are drawing power from you anymore. All of your power is yours, Bo and I think you're going to feel that difference."

Bo thought about it for a moment before she smiled at Lauren, "You know, I don't feel hungry at all."

It was at that precise moment that the brunette's stomach growled.

"Apparently, your stomach didn't get the message." Lauren laughed and Bo joined in, "Let's go eat. Besides, I'm sure Kenzi would want to see you."

Bo nodded, "You're probably right."

Lauren put a hand up to Bo's face, allowing her fingers to draw a soft line form her temple to her chin before capturing her lips in a soft, long kiss. Her tongue begged for entrance, Bo parting her lips in response and welcoming the intense sensation of warmth to melt her world. When Lauren pulled away, giving her another quick soft kiss for good measure, she smiled seeing her girlfriend's eyes closed, her tongue licking her lips as if savoring the taste,

"You like?" she asked.

"Oh yes. There is nothing quite like being kissed by Doctor Lauren Lewis." Bo smiled.

"And there is nothing in the universe like being kissed by Succubus Ysabeau Dennis... my Izzy... I love you more than I can say."

"Then don't say it with words... say it with kisses." Bo smiled, "I love you so much, my Lolobelle."

Bo leaned in and kissed Lauren again, this time taking control to say all that words could never say to the woman who held her heart so tightly, yet so gently that she would gladly give it to her again and again for the rest of eternity.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

"AGAIN!" Yelled Jadis' sister, Shyla.

She had been pushing Bo hard for the last two hours, trying to get her to release the full force of her powers, but the Succubus was holding back.

"No! Shyla, that's enough! I know what you're doing! You're trying to force me to lose control! I will not lose control! I lose control and people die! I do not want to hurt any of you!"

Jadis came to stand by her sister, "You have yet to understand that when you lose control, that is your true power coming alive! It is the power given to you by your Father at birth!"

"I do not want his power!" Bo yelled, turning towards the Leader of the White Witches, her head down, eyes cast upwards, "He is pure evil and I will NOT allow that evil to be used against others! I am better than that!"

"Ysabeau, you will be better than no one if you do not release and learn to control that power! You will be dead! Everyone you love will be dead! Everyone who exists on that earthly plane of yours will be dead and all because you failed to use the one gift that you were given... the gift to save the world!"

"It is not a gift! It is a curse!"

"A curse would not be sent to save the world, it would damn it!"

"No. No. No. I release this power, everyone dies! That IS evil and I am not evil."

"And we are not saying you are, but sometimes it takes evil to defeat evil!"

"No! If you give into evil, evil wins! Love will conquer all!"

Jadis lowered her staff, "You've watched one too many Disney Princess movies, Ysabeau! Damn your Human existence!"

"My Human existence has kept me from becoming a monster!"

"No, it has made you fear the power that lies within you. The power of the Prophecy! The power of the Chosen One!"

"Oh, screw the Chosen One! I am tired of my life being dictated by something I did not choose! I am DONE being Fae!"

Bo dropped her sword and began to walk off of the battlefield, until she heard a whirling sound. She turned back to see three of the White Witches holding Lauren whose eyes were glowing white. Looking back to Jadis, she saw the leader's staff, glowing white at the top,

"What are you doing to her!" Bo yelled towards the leader of the White Witches.

Shyla shimmered to Bo, appearing behind her and whispering in her ear in reply, "She does what must be done."

"Stop!" Bo yelled.

"If you will not fight this battle, then your second in command needs your power to do so." Shyla whispered again.

Bo felt herself becoming weak. Dropping to her knees, she looked down to see blue light emanating from her body... every pour seemed to be seeping chi... the light drifting across the grounds as if floating on air... heading right to Lauren...

"Wait! What are you doing? STOP! STOP! She can't handle my power too! STOP! YOU'LL KILL HER!" Bo yelled, reaching out towards Lauren.

Jadis pulled back her staff, stopping the flow of chi. Bo remained on her knees, struggling to catch her breath. She felt weak... very weak... the witches had manipulated her... threatened Lauren... her Lolo... her love... her soul mate. How dare they. How dare they try to take her away. How dare they try to make another choice for her.

Slowly Jadis watched as the Succubus' eyes moved to where the Witches still held Lauren. The blonde's head was down, her legs on the verge of buckling. The blue-eyed Succubus stood, her arms outstretched as she pulled the chi of all three witches at once. Slowly, the chi fed Bo's body until the three dropped to the ground, unconscious. Without the support of the witches, Lauren fell too. Bo turned to Jadis, her fury causing the wind to swirl around the grounds, making blizzard-like conditions. The Succubus pointed towards the Leader,

"You, Witch... you dare to touch my mate. You are nothing. You will know my true power."

Bo extended her arms again and opened her mouth to take Jadis' chi, but nothing happened. The Succubus felt her power wane, then realized there was a hand on her hand... a very tiny hand. She looked down to see Lulu's hand in her own,

"I felt you get angry, Momma. Please don't hurt Jadis. She's trying to help you. Now go... give them their chi back. They don't feel well, but don't give our Lolo anymore. She has too much."

Bo simply nodded and moved to the three witches. Kneeling down, she pushed a red stream of chi into each of them until they all sat up, gasping for air. One scrambled back, her eyes laced with fear as she mumbled something in a language she didn't understand. Bo leaned in and called Lauren's name,

"Lauren? Lolo, please... please wake up." She shook her head, "No, no, no... please... this is all my fault. I didn't want this for you. I didn't want any of this for you. You were supposed to be a Doctor and heal people. You were supposed to grow up, have your career, get married and have two children... Charlotte and Ethan. Don't you remember? You weren't supposed to... this isn't how your life was supposed to be. You're supposed to be Human and happy! Not having your life threatened by the Fae... by me."

She pulled Lauren to her chest, her head hanging back, mouth agape, as Bo cried into her chest, "I can't do this... I can't... I can't do this with you... I can't do this without you. I don't know what to do. I don't know what to do. Lolo... please... please wake up."

"Izzy?"

"Oh, thank the Gods, Lolo. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry."

Bo cupped Lauren's head, her lips going to her forehead, pressing a long kiss there as her tears rained down her cheeks.

"Momma, it's okay. Everything is going to be okay. You'll see." Lulu said, smiling at Bo.

She reached down and placed a finger on Lauren's head. Bo watched as her daughter's finger lit up a light lavender. She then placed her finger on Bo who felt a jolt of electricity. Lulu pulled her finger back and smiled as Lauren sat up.

"Thank you, Lulu." Lauren said, placing a kiss on the little girls' cheek.

"What did you do, Lu?" Bo asked.

"Lauren had chi overload like we did last night from coming through the Aurora and the slipstream. I took the extra chi and gave it to you because you will burn it off a lot faster than Lauren will. She's new to the whole chi thing."

"Chi." Bo said quietly.

"Bo?" Lauren asked.

"Chi." Bo repeated, before looking up at Lauren, "Your chi... it's what smells different... well... what is different. You're using chi... you're not a Succubus... I mean... you would have... urges if you were... really, really overpowering urges that would't have stopped at a kiss... but you're some sort of chi... vessel."

Bo looked at Lulu, then up at Jadis who was now standing behind her daughter, "Well, well... the pieces are definitely coming together then."

"What?"

"In battle, you will need chi. Lauren is the vessel that can hold that chi for you. Remember how you healed the other day, Lauren?"

Entering doctor mode, the blonde quickly synthesized the information Jadis as providing with the events that had transpired after the battle. Looking up at Jadis, she smiled,

"If Bo is injured, she will be able to draw chi from me because of our connection."

Bo shook her head, "Wait, wait, wait... I cannot draw chi from anywhere. I..."

"Bo, you do realize you just drew chi from all three of my sisters from a distance of one of your football fields on earth."

Bo's eyes went wide, looking at the three women who were sitting huddled together. She frowned, shaking her head,

"I'm... I'm so sorry."

Jadis smiled, "It's okay, child. They'll get over it. It's just a bit of a shock to them... the side-effect of the Succubus feed is desires of the flesh that White Witches are not accustomed to feeling unless it is our mating season."

Bo looked at Lauren and then back at Jadis, "You have... a... mating season? You mean... you don't... you know... but once a year?"

Jadis smiled, "Oh, no dear. We mate four times a year... it doesn't always take on the first try, you know. A White Witch pregnancy is eleven to twelve months... it's chilly here so everything happens more slowly."

She looked at Lauren, "Only four times a year? That's... that's... is it any wonder they have white hair. I'd age a century if I had to go a year without sex."

Lauren smiled, "Well, I'll try to keep that in mind and only make you wait eleven months."

"Har. Har." Bo frowned before turning to her daughter,

"Thank you for coming, Lu. Where were you?"

"I was... actually, I don't know where I was... I was... somewhere else, then I felt you and knew I had to come and then... well, I was next to you." Lulu replied shrugging her shoulders.

"LULU! You are in BIG trouble, half pint!" Tamsin arrived at the field, her wings folding as she landed. She walked up to the group, bending over and placing her hands on her knees, "No shimmering off without telling me!"

"Shimmering?" Jadis asked.

"Yea. Like you guys do. We were testing her telekinetic abilities, but she kept looking at the Younglings who were learning how to Shimmer." Tamsin replied.

"Younglings?" Bo asked.

"They're the equivalent of the teenagers of Jadis' kind. They are just coming into their powers and must learn each skill as it becomes available to them or they could end up... well, in another universe... or multiverse."

"So this shimmering..."

Lauren nodded, "Do you remember when Jadis just sort of 'showed up' at your cabin? That's what they call shimmering. It's sort of like teleportation, but they travel on energy roads that are invisible to the average Fae or Human eye."

"The slipstream that you came through to get into our world is one of trillions like it. There is one in front of me right now that leads to the other end of this field." Jadis explained before demonstrating by shimmering away and then back to them, "But Lulu, how did you shimmer, child?"

"Well, I got sort of bored with my telekinesis test and while all of the witches were yapping about whether or not I would have Succubus powers, I was listening to the shimmering lesson of the Younglings. It sounded really cool so I started looking for the white roads and I found them. Then, one of the white roads turned blue and I just knew it led to my Momma and she was really mad and I knew she needed me. So, I just did like the White Witch said and commanded my essence to go to the end of the blue road and poof, I was here."

"And I lost my mind." Tamsin replied, "You can't do that to me, half pint!"

"Sorry, Valkyrie."

"Stop calling me that!"

"Then you stop calling me half pint!"

"Well you're little, so you are a half pint!"

"And you're a Valkyrie, so you are a... Valkyrie!"

Tamsin huffed and crossed her arms over her chest, glaring at the little girl who had assumed the same stance at the same time,

"Shit. She's becoming a mini-Tamsin." Bo said quietly, shaking her head.

Lauren slapped her and laughed, "Come on, the ground is cold."

She offered Bo a hand up, and turned to Jadis, "So... break for lunch?"

Jadis nodded, "I think that sounds like a good idea as long as Ysabeau agrees that we are going to work on harnessing that power after lunch."

"I don't want to hurt anyone. Your sisters are terrified of me. I can't imagine that would help anyone to follow me."

Jadis smiled, "I promise you, Bo. It truly is just the after-effects of the feed. They are not terrified. They are actually quite curious. Besides, would it help you to know that we can do this?"

Jadis shimmered away to her sisters who stood at her sides, forming a circle facing out. In unison, they tapped the bottom of their respective staffs on the ground two times before extending waving them downward, forming a shimmering bubble around the group.

Bo turned to Shyla, "What is that?" Bo asked.

"Try to feed from them, Bo."

"No... I won't..."

"Bo, trust me, please. My sisters are not without power."

Shyla looked at Lulu, and nodded. The young Fae looked at Bo, "Go on, Momma. It's okay."

Bo hesitated, but then began to walk towards the witches. Shyla placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, however, caught off guard, Bo spun and gripped the witch by the throat,

"BO!" Lauren cautioned, causing the Succubus to relax, brown eyes returning.

She looked at Shyla, "Sorry. Just... fair warning... when I'm... emotional... it's best not to touch me unless you're Lauren or Lulu."

Shyla rubbed her neck, "Well, we'll work on that as well. I was just trying to stop you from moving forward."

Bo looked at her curiously, so Shyla explained,

"From here... use your powers from here as you did earlier when Lauren was threatened."

Bo shook her head, "I don't know how... I don't know how to call up my power like that. It only happens when I lose control."

"So... let go of that control."

"No, I don't like losing control like that."

Lulu interrupted, "I'll help her."

She raised her hands, "Up, Momma."

Bo looked confused, but did as her daughter asked. Lulu placed a finger on Bo's temple and after a few seconds, the Succubus began to draw chi from across the field where the Witches were standing. A stream of white light came towards the Succubus, dissipating as it approached her. Finally, seeing that her Momma was coming up empty, Lulu pulled her finger away and Bo stopped her attempts at a feed.

"Wow... they... what was that?"

"They blocked your chi, Momma!"

Jadis appeared next to them, "Yes, but we're tired, child. There were four of us and you only attempted to drain us for a few seconds. Thank you, Miss Lulu."

The young Fae smiled, "You're welcome, Miss Jadis!"

"I heard you, Lu. I heard your voice in my head." Bo whispered.

Lulu nodded, "Isn't it cool? I'm getting better at it now."

"You're talking to my Succubus... and you're using your powers and not passing out!" Bo smiled.

Lulu nodded, "The witches say its because no ones sucking my power anymore."

Bo nodded, "Yea, it's sort of nice here, huh? I'm so happy you don't have to get sick, pass out and have headaches anymore!"

"Until we go home..." Lulu frowned.

Shyla interjected, "But your Momma is going to do what she has to do to defeat the Hunters and Hades. Then you won't ever have to feel that way again." She looked at Jadis, "I think it's time for a lunch break."

Bo glared at Shyla for a short while before turning back to her daughter,

"So tell me what it felt like to talk to my Succubus? Does she talk back?" Bo asked, smiling at Lauren who slid her arm into the crook of her elbow and walked along with the two.

Lulu nodded, "Uh-huh. I named her Blue because she's sort of sad that you don't trust her... and because she killed people you didn't want her to kill... and because Lauren's a little bit afraid of her... she really loves Lauren a lot... as much as you do... she just needs her in a different way. And she pulls blue chi, so Blue just made sense. She likes her name."

Bo smiled at her daughter, "Well, we'll have to work on eliminating any reason for Lauren to feel afraid of us. So I guess you have two powers now."

Lulu shook her head, "Three, Momma."

"Three?" Bo asked.

Tamsin interrupted, "Actually... they definitely determined that she is an Empath... the other news is that... well, she sort of knew it before they did."

"Well, she's been saying that for years." Bo replied.

Tamsin shook her head, "No, Bo. I mean she literally knew precisely what they were going to say before she said it. She has four powers that we know of as of the tests that we completed before her shimmering act. She's got telekinesis, she's an Empath, she has her Dad's gift of Foresight and apparently she can shimmer. Her fifth power will be whatever that thing is that she's doing with you. It sounds to me like she's got a little Dr. Dolittle thing going on."

Bo crossed her arms over her chest, "Dr. Dolittle?"

"Duh? You know... talk to the animals? She can talk to the Succubus inside her Mom?" Tamsin offered in explanation.

Bo nodded, ignoring the blonde's analogy, "So, lunch?"

"I have to move my stuff over to Tamsin's yurt and go pee first, okay?" Lulu replied, scrambling out of Bo's arms.

"Do you know where you're going?"

"Sure, Momma! Across this field, turn right, down two rows, turn left and it's the second yurt right behind Lauren's. See ya at lunch!"

She scurried off across the field, suddenly gone from view.

"Shit. She's gotta stop that shimmering thing." Tamsin replied, spreading her wings and taking flight.

Bo laughed, "A match made in heaven those two."

Lauren joined in her laughter, "Tamsin is definitely going to learn to loosen up having to take care of your little one."

Bo leaned over and kissed her girlfriend's cheek as they walked to the village yurt for lunch.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 _ **Three Days Later...**_

"Bo, come on, we're going to be late!" Lauren called to her girlfriend inside their yurt. They were heading out to meet up with Kenzi at the White Witches gathering. Amara and Aris had invited them, explaining that 'their Human' would need their permission for something. Naturally, Lauren then had to calm Bo down for the reference to Kenzi being owned which led to her Succubus coming out which led to Lulu shimmering to Bo which, naturally led to Tamsin flying in upset with Lulu again.

Lauren couldn't wait for Bo to get her new powers under control. She was improving, but her instinct to react before having all of the facts was definitely something that was preventing that from happening fully. Still, Lauren would be patient with her girlfriend. She didn't want Bo to change. It was her passion for justice and protecting those she loved that was one of the best things about her. Sure, she was a bit overly impulsive at times, but was that really that bad?

"I still don't understand why Kenzi couldn't come to us or why they couldn't just tell us what they wanted our permission for, ya know? Besides, if Kenzi wants to do something, I'm sure as hell not gonna hold her back if it's not going to cause her death. She's a free agent as far as I'm concerned. I only claimed her to protect her from the Fae because of their stupid one rule."

Lauren took her girlfriend's hand, "Actually, the one rule is the one rule that isn't stupid, Bo. If everyone knew about the Fae, scientists would be harvesting their organs for study... or worse, trying to genetically engineer them to be the perfect killing machine for some war somewhere."

Bo shrugged, "But think of the Human diseases some of that research could cure."

"You're not actually saying that performing medical testing on the Fae for the betterment of Humanity would be ethical, are you?" Lauren asked.

"Why not? Fae feed on Humans. Is that ethical? Fae keep Humans as slaves. Is that ethical? Fae kill Humans for sport. Is that ethical? And what about Humans? They do animal testing to save themselves. Is that ethical?"

"Well, that's what organizations like PETA are for."

"Okay then, maybe you, Dr. Lauren Lewis, should start PETFA." Bo laughed earning her a slap from Lauren.

"You are incorrigible, Bo Dennis."

"You know, after I meet with my Grandfather... if I decide I like him, I may change my name to McCorrigan... Lulu's too."

"Where did that come from?" Lauren asked.

"Well, Jack Dennis was a fictitious name, so Dennis... not a thing." Bo replied, "I want Lulu to have a family name."

"She has your name and you're her family." Lauren replied.

Bo nodded, "I guess so."

They arrived at the meeting yurt of the White Witches and were ushered inside. There, they joined the circle of witches. Jadis stood and moved to Lauren, placing her thumb into a dish of some sort of white paint and drawing some symbol on her forehead. She then placed her thumb in a different dish and did the same to Bo, but her symbol was light blue in color.

"Any idea what this is for?" Bo whispered.

Jadis sat and replied to Bo, "It is so that the Spirits of the Aurora do not perform the ritual on you."

Bo nodded, "Good to know." She leaned over to Lauren, "Where the hell is Kenzi?"

"I don't see her, but Bo... this looks awfully familiar to me."

"What do you mean?" Bo asked.

Lauren nodded towards the entrance, "There's Kenzi... white gown, painted arms, legs and face... Bo..."

Aris stood and spoke before Lauren could finish, "Who has claim on this Human?"

Amara leaned over and whispered to Bo, "Stand and stake your claim."

"I do."

"Speak your name."

"I, Ysabeau Anne Dennis am the Fae who has claimed this Human."

The witches all chanted together, "We hear and acknowledge your claim."

"Ysabeau Dennis, come and kneel before your Human."

Kenzi stepped forwards, giving a nervous smile to Bo who did as she was instructed. Once on the ground, she whispered to her best friend,

"A little heads up would have been nice, Kenz. What the hell is going on?"

"Human. Make your request." Shyla demanded.

"I, Human, Kenzi Malikov, wish Ysabeau Ann Dennis to unclaim me."

"No! No way! I unclaim you and you are no longer protected." Bo replied.

"No, Bo. You unclaim me and I will be under the protection of the White Witches. They cannot protect me as long as you have a claim to me. If they claim me, they can protect me and I can learn their magic."

"Wait... you want to be a White Witch?" Bo asked.

"I want the option, Bo. Look, let's be honest here. You have Lulu and Lauren to worry about. I know you would do everything you could to protect me, but I'm the weak link here, Bo. I'm Human. If you unclaim me, I get protection and powers... not the mojo these ladies be packing... I mean... have you seen what these ladies can do?"

Bo frowned, "Yes, Kenzi. But... where will you live? Is this..."

"This is not goodbye, Bo. I'll be here all the way through your training and my own. When you go back, I'll go back. Once this big battle is over, we'll see where things stand. I have a lot of things to think about, BoBo. I just want to keep my options open and this seems to be the best way to do it. When the battle is over, if I choose to join the club, I'll come back here and we'll visit each other from time to time. You'll certainly have transportation thanks to a certain blonde and her trusty steed."

Kenzi gave Bo a nervous laugh, "Please, Bo. I want this. I need to feel safe and as much as I know you would protect me if you were nearby, I'm growing more and more worried about being protected when I'm on my own. It's either do this or go back to the Human world and go our separate ways... and I don't want that, Bo. I mean... I wish I could quit you, but... you now what they say... once you go Fae, you never go back."

Bo smiled, "Okay, Kenzi. But if things don't work out, we'll reverse cowgirl this ritual and have them unclaim you so I can claim you again. I'll always be here for you, Kenzi. You're my best friend."

Kenzi smiled, "And you're mine. Thank you, Bo."

Bo nodded, a single tear trailing down her cheek as she spoke the words, "I unclaim you."

Jadis stood, walking towards Kenzi who turned around, her back to Bo. The Leader of the White Witches spoke, her eyes on Kenzi,

"Human, Kenzi Malikov, the Clan of the White Witches hereby claim you as an apprentice first class and offer you all of the benefits and protections membership in our clan affords. We acknowledge the sisterhood you possess with Succubus Ysabeau Dennis, the Chosen One; Changeling Doctor Lauren Lewis, Soul Mate of the Chosen One and Faebling Lulabelle Dennis, Daughter and Seer of the Chosen One. They have permission to cross our borders at any time in order to maintain your bond with them."

Bo watched as Kenzi knelt before Jadis who extended her staff over the young Human making three circles over her head with the glowing white orb.

"Ysabeau, please exit the ritual circle and take your place next to Lauren."

Bo did as she was told, moving back next to Lauren who quickly took her hand, "Are you okay?"

"Yes, actually. I feel... at peace. Somehow I just know that... everything's going to be okay."

Bo turned back to observe the ritual while Lauren smiled knowingly at her girlfriend. Something told her that Lulu's powers were growing and she was calming her Mother even from a distance now. Yes, change was in the wind and this time, change was definitely good.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

It was late when Bo and Lauren finally arrived back at their yurt. They had finally gotten the chance to sit down with Kenzi and discuss what had happened, Lauren slipping away to take Lulu for a short ride on Aurora while the best friends finally had some alone time. Kenzi explained to Bo that she was now a vessel for White Witch they so desired. It also worked in reverse... in Kenzi's explanation, Jadis was essentially the angel on her shoulder now. If she was in trouble, she could defend herself drawing from any witch's powers... once she learned how.

Becoming a vessel also added a few fashion accessories, which Kenzi apparently loved. She had a large streak of white hair now. She was grateful it wasn't right in the front center of her head or Lulu would be calling her Cruella Deville all the time. She also had a brand from her clan now. The smell of her best friend's burning flesh when they'd branded the back of her right shoulder made Bo gag during the ritual. She'd almost had to leave the yurt. Finally, Kenzi now had a staff... well, more like a walking stick but Kenzi called it her Kindergarten staff. Yes, her friend was suddenly on her way to becoming a White Witch and truthfully, Bo still wasn't sure exactly how she felt about that.

She settled into bed, pulling the thick blankets up while Lauren stoked the fire. She watched as the blonde walked over to the bed, the light from the flame illuminating her strong yet feminine form. She moved her eyes up her girlfriend's body until she made contact with her big brown eyes,

"You are so beautiful." Bo said as Lauren slid into bed, moving right into her favorite position wrapped around the Succubus.

"Mmmm... you're beautiful, and smart, and sexy... and... you still wear that old button down softball jersey so very well." Lauren laid a hand on Bo's cheek, her eyes searching dark orbs, "I want you to make love to me Izzy... I want that more than anything I've ever wanted in this world."

Bo's eyes filled with tears as Lauren continued, "I want to make love to you. I want you... I want us... I want to feel like I am completely yours and you are completely mine. Please, Bo. You have my mind, you know you have my heart, the witches told you that my soul has been yours since childhood. I want you to have my body too... and I want all of you as well."

Bo rolled Lauren onto her back, her hands threaded into her hair as she lowered her lips to the blonde's taking her mouth in a sweet, slow kiss. She pulled back slowly, smiling down at her love,

"I want to make love to you, Lauren... but you need to be patient with me. I may have to... stop... to keep my Succubus..."

"It's okay, Bo..."

"No, Lauren. I want... Blue... to understand... we don't have to pull your chi to feel all we need to feel from you. I've never made love to anyone before, Lauren. I want you to be my first."

"You've never... but Bo, you have Lulu..."

"I fed, Lauren. With Rainer, I was always in feeding mode. With every person I've ever been with, it's been to feed. I want it to be different with you. I want it to be slow and I don't want to feed from you while we make love."

Lauren smiled, "Okay. What do you need me to do?"

Bo returned the smile, "Just be with me... keep your eyes on mine... tell me what you want if I'm not giving you the pleasure you want and deserve."

"Well, that will be easy. All I want and need is your touch. Touch me, Izzy. Please touch me."

Bo slowly lowered her mouth to Lauren's her hand trailing down her face, gentle touches moving behind her ear and down her neck while her mouth followed the path her fingers traced. Lauren kept her eyes on Bo's meeting them every time the brunette glanced up and gave her that brilliant smile.

Warm hands slid beneath the edge of Lauren's top, sliding it up so tender kisses could be placed on every inch of her muscled torso until she found her way up to the soft round breasts that she had longed to taste for a month now.

Her eyes fixed on Lauren's, Bo took a stiff nipple in her mouth, rolling her tongue back and forth, lavishing it with attention. Each breast received her devotion before she slid down the taut body of her partner, gently pulling down one side of her panties, trailing kisses along her hip with each inch of sensitive flesh that she exposed.

Bo sat up, tugging each side of the undergarment until she was free of the restraint. As Lauren lifted her legs to slide them back under the covers, Bo stopped her, slipping one leg over her shoulder,

"Don't... please... I want to see all of you... I want to touch and taste all of you."

Her fingers trailed up and down the straightened legs of the blonde while her mouth placed kissed on the inner thigh of the one strewn over her shoulder. Lauren watched as Bo handled her body as if it was the most precious piece of art she'd ever viewed.

Bo watched Lauren's face as she touched her outer folds, and then pressed one finger between the now slick inner folds, earning a soft moan from the blonde,

"My Lolo... you've always been mine."

Lauren reached down, her fingers tracing the side of Bo's face until they settled in her mouth. Bo sucked on them, swirling her tongue around them until she moved her mouth to the blonde's mound and entered her slowly.

She kept her eyes on her Lolo, keeping pace with the rise and fall of her hips. Watching the flush of her skin redden as she became more and more breathless, Bo filled her lover deeply and spoke,

"I love you, Lauren Lewis. You are my reason for being. You are my heart, my soul, and my forever love. I will never love another the way I love you."

Lauren's mouth dropped open as a wave of pleasure unlike anything she'd ever felt hit her from head to toe. She gripped Bo's face pulling to her mouth, moaning out every last breath of her release until she fell back onto the bed, thoroughly spent and well sated. Bo laid on her chest, listening to the pounding of the blonde's heart. Slowly, she lifted her chin so she could lay her eyes on her lover again,

"I have never felt anything like that in my life." Lauren smiled, "I felt... so loved... so... complete."

Bo smiled, "I know this will sound strange, but even though you haven't touched me yet, I felt it too... complete."

Lauren smiled and rolled her over, "Well, let's see how much more complete we can make you feel."

Bo giggled as Lauren slid on top of the brunette, "You know, when we were kids I was kind of obsessed with..."

"My boobs?"

Lauren laughed, "Yes. How did you know?"

"I used to catch you staring at them." Bo admitted.

Lauren blushed as she traced Bo's collar bone, "Well, you did develop sooner than anyone else at school and you were most definitely the most heavily endowed."

"That is not true. Remember DeeDee Prince and Samantha Gainer? They were both massive." Bo smiled.

"Ohmagosh! I totally forgot! They used to call DeeDee Triple D."

Bo nodded, "Yea, and it wasn't because she already had two D's in her name. Remember when they ran Samantha's bra up the flag pole?"

"Because that bitch Bridget Murtaugh stole it out of her gym locker because she was dating Andy something when she liked him." Lauren added.

Bo shook her head, "I do not miss High School," she looked at Lauren, "But I do miss you."

Lauren smiled down at her, "Well, I'm right here. Now, if you don't mind, I've waited more than a decade to have my chance with the girls here. May I?"

Bo laughed, "The girls, huh?"

"Yes. I may name them, but I'll have to see them first to start contemplating a potential list of appropriate namesakes."

"Well, you have my permission, Dr. Lewis. Feel free to give them a thorough examination." Bo smiled.

Lauren sat up and slowly unbuttoned Bo's shirt, finding it difficult not to mention the softball analogy that she was about to hit a homeroom with her high school sweetheart, but Bo did it anyway.

"So, are you going to swing for the fence here, Lewis?"

"Unless you stop me from rounding all of the bases." Lauren replied as she opened the shirt, sliding one hand down either side to reveal her lovers' two perfect breasts. She slid her hands down the brunette's body, leaving the mounds of flesh untouched for the moment in favor of removing her panties, but was delighted when she looked down and saw none. She smiled up at Bo who shook her head,

"It has been my intention since we stepped foot in this yurt to let you round all of my bases."

Lauren pulled off her own top and lowered body onto Bo's taking her lips in a slow, sensual kiss as their legs entwined,

"Mmmm... grinding like this with no clothing in the way is certainly better than what we did at the cabin. Gods, your body feels incredible against mine, Bo."

Lauren kissed her lips, her cheek and her neck, taking a moment to suck gently as she moved lower. She laid a trail of kisses along her well-defined collar bone, then plummeted down between her breasts, gripping both in her hands before taking one into her mouth,

"Mmmm... is it everything you thought it would be?" Bo asked, watching the blonde take her fill.

"Mmmm... so much more... much, much more... Gods, these are beautiful." She looked up at Bo, her thumbs stroking the nipples, "You are so incredibly beautiful and there is this part of me that still can't believe this is happening. You were just a dream, Izzy... and now, here you are... loving me... me... skinny, scrawny, geeky Lauren Lewis."

Bo smiled stroking Lauren's cheek as she took a nipple in her mouth once more, gently caressing it into an impossibly stiff peak,

"You are not that teenager anymore, Lauren. You have grown from the girl I loved into the beautiful woman I love. Please, Lolo... make love to me?"

Lauren took the other breast in her mouth, both eyes firmly committed to Bo's as her hand slid down her taut abdomen. Bo parted her legs to allow her lover access, her hips responding immediately to the initial exploratory touches of the blonde,

"You're so wet, Izzy... you feel incredible." She moved her mouth to capture her lips as she entered her, thrusting slowly... gently inside, probing with long slender fingers.

"More, Lolo."

"Whatever you need, baby."

Lauren complied while making her way down her body until her mouth worked in unison with skilled fingers. Her eyes locked on Bo's, she took in the sight she had only dreamed of for most of her life as the woman she'd loved with all of her heart and soul came undone beneath her. It was the more beautiful than the Aurora on its brightest night.

Bo's face twisted from amazing love and pleasure into concern,

"Lauren? Are you okay?"

"I'm perfect, Bo... I feel... perfect... complete... I feel so incredibly connected to you... I feel... you're... you're hungry. Sweetie, feed from me. I know that you said no feeding, but... I love you... I want you to take my body for whatever you need... please... I can feel your hunger. You need me... feed... I need you to feed from me."

"Lauren, your eyes are green... they look like... the look like the Aurora."

Lauren shook her head, "I can't explain it Bo... just... please... I need you to feed from me. Please."

"You're sure."

"Feed."

Lauren didn't wait any longer for Bo to decide. She captured the Succubus' lips with her own, her center grinding down hard and fast into her lover's. She sat up, straddling her to get better contact before gripping her head firmly to reconnect their lips, her fingers holding fast to locks of thick black hair.

Bo pulled the blonde's chi... she fed, hungrily as Lauren continued to rock into her until finally, Bo took one last long draw, pushing both of them over the edge into a state of bliss. The pair collapsed on the bed, Lauren wrapped up in Bo as they breathed heavily in unison.

"Lauren? Are you okay?"

"That was amazing." She replied.

"Epic." Bo said before asking, "What was that?"

Lauren opened her eyes and looked up at Bo who smiled, "My brown eyed girl is back. You had me a bit concerned for a moment."

"You said my eyes were green?" Lauren asked.

Bo nodded, "They looked just like the Aurora."

"That's funny, because just before that I was thinking that you looked more beautiful than the Aurora."

"Lauren... I have to tell you, I didn't really pull your chi... I mean... I did eventually, but... I didn't initiate my feed... you did."

"What? That's impossible I'm not a Succubus and even if I was, I wouldn't know how to give chi back. That's not a common skill for your kind."

"I'm telling you, I did not start that feed. It was all you, babe."

Lauren smiled, "Was it hot?"

Bo laughed out loud, "So hot. You are my hot, hot lady lova!"

Lauren laughed as Bo rolled her over and kissed her neck, then her cheek, then her lips, slowly deepening the kiss for a long moment before pulling back,

"Do you think this had anything to do with that 'you being a vessel for me' thing?"

Lauren shrugged, "Maybe so. What I do know is that it felt incredible, so I am not going to overanalyze it. I'm just going to accept it for what it was."

"And what's that?"

"Good chemistry." Lauren replied with a giggle.

"You're such a geek."

"Yes, but I'm your geek." Lauren replied.

"So, another change for us."

Lauren nodded, "Is that a bad thing?"

"Nope. I've made a decision." Bo said, sitting up and straddling the blonde whose eyes immediately went to her breasts, "Hey. Eyes up here."

"Huh? Oh... right. What's your decision."

"I've decided to release my burden. It's something Stella told Lulu to do. So, I'm releasing my burden and embracing change as good." Bo smiled.

"Change is good?" Lauren asked.

Bo nodded, "Change is good. So let's change the position and try that again."

Lauren giggled as Bo rolled her over for another round. Change really is good.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_


	6. Chapter 6: Growing Pains

_**A/N:**_ _Hey, everyone! Sorry for the delay! This is not fully proofread, so hopefully it's not too awfully crappy! Working everyone closer to the roles they'll play in the coming battle. Thanks to all of the reviews and follows. It's so great to know that you're all keeping this fandom alive and well. Had some great PM discussions... thanks to all of you for those as well, especially LGReader. Happy Belated Canada Day to our awesome Northern neighbors and Happy July 4_ _th_ _to those of us south of them. May the day put a smile on your face and some sparkle in your life!_

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 _ **CHAPTER 6: Growing Pains**_

Tiny bumps rolled in waves across her skin, leading a tired Lauren Lewis to seek the thick fur blanket that was usually covering her when she slept in these lands. Eyes still closed, she reached back to grab the warm cover, she opened her eyes to see a bra... definitely not hers. She smiled knowing exactly whose delicious breasts fit perfectly in these cups. Tossing the bra on the ground, she reached again and found a bare arm, then a leg. She rolled over to see Bo lying naked on the bed beside her, no covers anywhere in sight.

"Bo, where are the covers? I'm freezing!" She spoke softly, running her hand over the soft skin of her shoulder and down her arm.

"Mumphgrumph."

Lauren nudged her girlfriend a bit harder, "Bo, please... I'm freezing. Can you please pass the covers over? I think they're on your side of the bed. Check the floor... please?"

"Huh?" Bo asked, lifting her head, her eyes barely open, "Hey, baby."

The brunette wrapped her arms around the blonde, pulling her in to her body and throwing a leg over her hip before settling her head in the crook of Lauren's neck. The blonde blew out a breath, trying to get Bo's hair out of her face,

"Bo, I can't breathe. Can you please get me the blanket? I'm freezing."

Again, the Succubus didn't acknowledge the question, instead pulling Lauren in tighter. Frustrated, the blonde tried to free herself and when the brunette tightened her hold, Lauren's patience broke,

"BO! I'm freezing!" She slapped at her chest, pushing her away, leading Bo to sit up and looked around the room,

"Damn, Lauren! That hurts!"

"Bo, I'm freezing! I've been trying to get you to give me the blanket for the last five minutes. You sleep like the dead! Can I please have the blanket?" Lauren pleaded, covering her body as best she could to keep the shivers at bay.

Opening her eyes and seeing the bumps covering Lauren's skin, it finally clicked, "I'm so sorry, Lo! Here..." she leaned over and grabbed the blanket, shaking it out so it floated up in the air before pulling it down over Lauren. She pulled the blonde in close, tucking the fur up under her chin,

"I'm sorry, Lauren. I get pretty warm when I sleep even when it's in a land of snow and ice."

Lauren's teeth chattered as she spoke, "Back at your cabin, between the fire, our pajamas and your natural body heat, it was never a problem. Here with temperatures dropping below zero every night and the fire place above us and over there... and the naked factor, of course... well..."

"Gods, Lauren. You're freezing. Your feet are ice cold. I'm so sorry." Bo said, kissing the blonde's forehead.

"I'll survive. Go back to sleep, Bo. I'm sorry for waking you."

"No, no... I'm sorry for taking all the covers while I slept. I guess when I got too hot, I tossed them on the floor. I'm still not quite used to sharing a bed with anyone."

"You've never shared a bed with anyone?"

"Nope." Bo replied, rubbing her warm hands up and down Lauren's back.

"Mmmm... that helps."

"Good. I want you warm, comfortable and sleeping peacefully." Bo smiled.

"That's sweet." Lauren smiled, looking into Bo's eyes.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"No, that's definitely a something look. What's up?"

"I doubt you want me to bring up the topic."

"Lauren, you can ask me anything.''

The blonde sighed, "Okay, but I'm just curious... about Rainer."

Bo laughed, "You're thinking I must have shared a bed with him?"

Lauren nodded.

"Nope. When I needed sex to heal and, of course, when I got pregnant, yes we were in a bed, but I never fell asleep with him. I told you that our relationship wasn't about love."

"Before my Mother left, she had told me that one day I would meet a man named Rainer and that he was my destiny... that binding with him would allow our powers to work together and that he was the key to the survival of me and my child. So, we did the binding ceremony and, as she promised, the combination of our powers prevented Hades return from the underworld on his first attempt."

"First attempt?"

Bo nodded, "I didn't know about the portal. If I had, I would have closed it a long time ago. We were in the living room with Lulu. She was only an infant. We didn't know where it came from, but... well... apparently, my Father three-headed dog for a pet."

"Yes, it's said that Kerberos guards the entrance to the Underworld."

"Not anymore he doesn't and it's not really a dog. It's more like the equivalent of three bears chained together. It came with a platoon of Hunters. It was the first time we'd seen them as well."

"The two of you fought them off?" Lauren asked, surprised.

Bo shook her head, running her fingers through Lauren's hair, "No, we had the help of the staff in the Mansion. That was when I learned that we'd had a house full of very powerful Fae all along when I was growing up. Anyway, it was Rainer's gift of foresight that allowed us to predict each attack and defend against it. Without him, I doubt Lulu and I would be here today."

"So, short answer... this is the first time you've actually slept in a bed with another adult."

Bo laughed, "Short answer, yes. Lulu has been my only companion for sleep and that was only up until she turned three. That was when I decided she needed to get her own bed so I could... you know."

Lauren nodded, "You're allowed to say it, you know. I understand your biology Bo and, while it may be hard to swallow if you ever have to do it, I'll always forgive you for having to have a full feed with someone if it's about your survival."

"But with this whole vessel thing, I feel like that may not be necessary anymore."

"Well, I guess time and training will tell." Lauren replied.

"I think I already know, Lauren. I feel like I'm being fed right now just having you next to me. I can't explain it, but I'm not hungry."

"Well, you did just have a full feed." Lauren replied.

"I've had full feeds before, Lauren. This is nothing like that. I'm completely sated. I feel like I could make love to you a million more times, but it's not about needing to feed or that I crave chi. I feel... normal."

Lauren laughed, "Well, I can assure you that the things you did to me were far from normal... they were extraordinary."

Bo grinned, "Extraordinary, huh? Well, you know I was a little tired so I'm sure you didn't even get the best I have to offer. Would you like to experience me at the top of my game?"

"You want to go extra innings?" Lauren laughed.

"Mmmm... why only play a few extra innings when we could play a double header?"

Giggling, Lauren put a hand on Bo's chest, "Baby, we have to get up in a few hours. Are you sure you want to do this knowing that today is combat training? She's not going to go easy on us."

Bo sighed, "You tired, baby?"

"Honestly, yes. You wiped me out."

"I could give some back."

"Oh, no Bo... I don't mean that. I mean I'm just the good old-fashioned tired... the I just did a full day of workouts followed by a massive cardio workout with you. Do you mind if we sleep?"

Bo shook her head, "Not as long as I get to hold you and keep you warm while we do."

"That sounds like bliss."

Lauren settled her head on Bo's chest, the brunette placing a soft kiss on her forehead. She lay awake watching Lauren sleep. The feeling she had being close to the blonde had somehow... shifted. She knew that the doctor had her doubts about what was happening between them, but Bo could feel it... even as Lauren slept, she was feeding the Succubus in her and the only way Bo could describe it was that she now felt... whole. She focused on the rise and fall of the blonde's chest, eventually falling to sleep herself.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

Bo and Lauren stood beneath a massive pine tree, watching Lulu's training session with Tamsin, Amara and Aris. They had various items spread out across an empty field at varying distances from where Lulu stood.

"What does she have to do?" Bo asked Lauren.

"While you were with Jadis and the White Witches doing your combat testing, I had a chance to talk to Tamsin. She said the witches felt Lulu was sufficiently fed to begin actual use of her powers. She's supposed to call those seven objects to her, so I guess we'll see how she does."

"She's only ever moved things the length of the cabin back home. Do they really expect that she'll be able to move things from the full distance of that field? I doubt she can even make them quiver."

The pair watched as Lulu pointed with one finger at the first object, about five feet away. It was a stuffed polar bear,

"Well, I'm not surprised she got that one. If she really wants something badly, she seems to have more power over the object." Bo explained.

Lauren nodded, turning her attention back to where Lulu was now hugging the polar bear while Tamsin tried to convince her to drop it.

"And there's a reason I would not have used a stuffed animal." Bo laughed because she knew Tamsin was not going to win this argument. She watched as Tamsin took the stuff animal, Lulu yelling something back at her that they could not hear. Tamsin pointed towards the next item and Lulu pointed towards the polar bear. Tamsin crossed her arms over her chest and then Lulu did the same. It was a stalemate until Aris intervened and told Lulu to pull the next object.

What happened next had Bo and Lauren in tears on the sideline as they watched Lulu pull the second object while simultaneously bringing the polar bear back to her while Tamsin jumped, trying to grab it.

"I'm surprised Tamsin doesn't use her wings. She hates to lose an argument." Lauren laughed.

"If she used her wings, Lulu would probably just levitate up there to get the polar bear before Tamsin could. I'm telling you, Lauren, these two are going to entertain us for the rest of the time we're here. It can only get better."

Lauren smiled, "It is entertaining."

They watched as Lulu pulled the third and fourth objects with surprising ease before setting her sights on the fifth object, and then the sixth. It was the final two that had shown some visible signs of struggle in the young Fae.

"Can this hurt her, Lauren? Pushing her powers like this?" Bo asked.

Lauren shook her head, "There is no Fae like her, Bo. I can run some tests to see if that is the case, but truthfully, I don't have much equipment here. The healer could take a look for me, though. We've worked together on numerous occasions. She's quite skilled."

Bo nodded, watching as Lulu tried to receive the seventh and final object. Bo could see her daughter become frustrated until finally, she sat down and placed her face in her hands. The brunette went to move towards her, but Lauren placed a gentle hand on her arm,

"Wait, Bo."

"She's frustrated, Lauren... probably exhausted. They're pushing her too hard."

"No, Bo... look... I think... look at her hands... they're glowing."

"I've never seen her glow white before." Bo replied.

Before the two realized what was happening, they heard the witches gasp.

"She did it. But..." Bo turned to Lauren, "She... how did she... the object is in her hands, but it just... vanished."

Lauren shook her head, "She made it shimmer to her. She transferred her own power to shimmer into the object and combined that power with her telekinesis. That was... amazing."

Bo turned to see her daughter putting all of the items in a pile before taking the stuffed polar bear and walking to Amara and Aris. She looked up at them, waving the stuffed animal and talking animatedly. The pair nodded and pointed towards Bo and Lauren.

"Here she comes." Bo said, moving to one knee as her daughter ran into her arms. She swept her up and spun her around,

"You were amazing, Lu!"

"Did you see me shimmer the bow and arrow to me? I couldn't move them, so I made them come to me instead!"

"That was brilliant, Lu!" Lauren said, "And what do you have there?"

"Tamsin said that if I could teleport it to me, I could have it. I won it!"

Bo smiled, "I guess you did! So, do we get to have lunch together today?"

Lulu smiled, "Yes, finally! Aunt Kenzi's meeting us there too! Ready to go?"

Bo and Lauren looked up at Tamsin who waved them off, "Okay then, let's go."

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

The White Witches meal tent was a place Bo had yet to feel comfortable. Lulu and Lauren seemed comfortable in the setting, but that wasn't surprising to the Succubus. Lauren had spent time with these women and was considered a daughter or sister to each of them. She was actually surprised at how many witches Lauren knew personally. The blonde had always been so shy and reserved when they were kids where Bo was the one who was involved in all sorts of service clubs... Save the Whales, the Environmental Club, March of Dimes Club, Organ Donation Club, Puppies for Pals Club. If there was a child, animal or planet to be saved, Bo was there and usually leading the charge against injustice while Lauren sat quietly through the meetings and events.

It was funny to see how their roles had changed since then. They had gone through the buffet line to get their food and now, here stood Bo holding her tray and Lulu's while the pair talked animatedly to two different groups of witches. The Succubus stood awkwardly by Lauren's side, smiling politely while her eyes scanned the room for Kenzi, desparately hoping to be saved by the best friend.

When Bo realized the person her girlfriend was talking to was the Healer she had been talking about earlier, she keyed in on their conversation until the medical jargon started sailing over her head. Tired of holding the two trays, she politely excused herself in search of a table for four... or at least the end of a long table where she could sit with her family.

As she turned in a circle, she found only one place available. She double-checked the area before she heard,

"Here, Bo! You can sit with us!"

Looking towards the voices, she cringed, seeing a table full of Valkyrie and Kate waving wildy. She could go back to Lauren and they could eat together in their yurt, right? Or they could eat outside, right? Sub-zero temperatures weren't really that bad, were they?

Sighing, she smiled politely and headed towards the table of blondes. What was it with Valkyrie anyway? Was being blonde a prerequisite to joining the club? As she scanned the table, she supposed that some of them were closer to very light brown, but still...

"Hey, Bo! Tamsin said you guys would be here. Where are Lauren, Lu and Kenzi?" Kate asked, taking Lulu's tray from Bo and placing it down next to her.

"Lulu is being little miss social butterfly and Lauren is speaking with the Healer about her doctor stuff. They'll make their way over here eventually."

"Well, we'll keep you company until then." Kate replied with a smile.

Bo heard one of the Valkyrie whisper, "Form a line girls. Who wants to be next to keep Bo company?"

Bo scowled, but said nothing when she saw Kate throw a piece of bread at someone down the table, but then, it started.

"Oh come on Kate, like you can't wait to be the one to do your sacred duty."

"I'm warning you, Tessa." Kate cautioned.

Tessa... that was another one of Lauren's friends... friend, huh?

"Come on, Kate. Relax. Tessa is just joking around."

"Speak for yourself, Delilah. You all heard Bette and Joanna... best sex ever."

Bo's eyes flashed blue, as she glared up at Kate,

"Bo... please... just... relax... we're all friends here, right?"

The Succubus stood and walked down the table to where Bette and Joanna were sitting, "I think we have some unfinished business to discuss. What do you say the three of us step outside."

Bo turned to walk away, but looked over her shoulder and noticed she was alone. She turned back towards the pair,

"That wasn't a question." She looked back towards Kate, "Maybe you should join us."

Bo continued towards the exit, as the three Valkyrie stood, hesitantly and followed. Kate stopped and turned towards her sisters. Pointing towards the three vacant seats at her end of the table, she spoke,

"Just remember, Lauren is your sister! Don't you remember it's why half of you didn't want to take the life oath? You knew it mean healing Bo if she was injured and none of you wanted to betray Lauren that way, so show some damn respect!"

Kate turned and walked away, mumbling to herself as she walked through the exit to come face-to-face with an angry Bo, her arms crossed over her chest, foot tapping rapidly,

"Bo..."

"NO! Look, we all know what I am. Joanna, Bette... I am grateful that you were there to heal me. I'd be dead if you hadn't volunteered to..."

"They didn't volunteer, Bo. They were ordered by Acacia..."

"What?" Bo asked, shocked.

Joanna blushed, "Well, you were dying and Lauren was dying and it was Acacia, Tamsin, me, Bette..."

"Okay, I get the picture, but ordering you to... to..."

Bette smiled, "Oh, believe me, it was our pleasure..." She lowered her head and bit her lip, as she mumbled, "... so damn much pleasure."

"Hey!" Bo began...

"Uh... sorry, but... look... none of us wanted to..."

"Oh my Gods..." Bo shook her head,

"No, it's not... look, Bo... we all took the Life Oath... we were all very much aware of what that may mean. You're a Succubus and it's how you heal."

"And you're not exactly hard on the eyes, so..." Joanna added,

"So, it wasn't really that hard of a choice..." Bette continued,

"But, it was because we all knew how Lauren felt and..."

"Well, she's our sister and..."

"Well, she was laying there near death and it felt like such a betrayal..."

"But you are... well, you... and..."

"Orders are orders so..."

Bo shook her head, "You guys are giving me whiplash here..."

Bette explained, "Well, you see, you were near unconscious and... well... it felt... weird, ya know? You weren't moving and we didn't know how to... you know, get you started?"

Joanna laughed, "So Bette thought she's try a striptease to warm you up which is why she had half of her clothing off when Lauren came in..."

"Well, you thought that trying to call her Izzy would make her think it was Lauren and that would get her in the mood!" Bette replied.

"But when Bette got on the bed, you just all of a sudden grabbed her and started pulling her chi..."

"And then I pulled you off of her because I wasn't sure how much Bette could handle... we knew you were like... super powerful and..."

"Well, then you grabbed Joanna and started taking her clothes off, then you stopped with her and started with me and then we all just sort of started undressing and you were pulling our chi... like a lot of it..."

Bette continued, "It sort of makes you feel a really horny drunk... like... it's super amazing... I mean... it brings out feelings you didn't know you had..."

"Or feelings you didn't really want to admit..." Joanna replied, staring at Bette for a long while, the two smiling at each other until Kate stepped in,

"HEY! Horny teenage types! Get to the point... and I mean the whole truth and nothing but the truth!"

Joanna sighed, "The truth is, that... well... we sort of... uh..."

"Bypassed you." Bette finished.

"What?" Bo asked.

Joanna giggled, "Well, while you were taking our chi..."

"Which was making us super horny..."

"And you were taking off our shirts and touching us with that red hand thing..."

"Well, something in us just... clicked... and... well..."

"We just... well... all this time... I never wanted to admit..."

"And... there were all of these feelings that we'd been holding in..."

"And it was like we were suddenly given permission to be completely and totally honest about what we've always wanted and..."

"Well, we just... gave in to it and..."

"Next thing I knew... Bette's hand was down my pants and it felt SOOO good..."

"And I couldn't help but reciprocate, but... well... you were sort of in the way and we were supposed to heal you, but..."

"Well, you just needed sexual energy, right so... you fed off our hopped up sexy chi and we..."

"Connected." Bette finished, smiling suggestively at Joanna.

"Boy did we connect." Bette added.

"Best sex ever." Joanna said.

They were both pulled out of their sex-induced haze by Kate's hand smacking the back of each of their heads,

"Hey! Tell her!"

Bette shook her head, "We didn't actually have sex with you."

Joanna replied, "We had sex with each other..." she looked at Bette, "... really, really great sex."

Bette looked at Bo, "We should have told you the truth, but..."

"Well, our sisters were all... well... looking at us differently."

"It's like we finally had their respect because we 'healed the Chosen One'."

"But Lauren won't even look at us."

"And now there's all of this gossip because of things we said..."

"Well, we didn't actually say them... we just didn't correct them when they said them."

"And now... well... we're SO sorry, Bo."

Bo stood, dumbfounded, looking at the pair, "So... I didn't..."

"You were a perfect lady." Joanna smiled.

"And you guys didn't..."

"Well, we did... boy did we ever, but you were more of a spectator... or a motivator?"

Bette smiled, "You were like our family therapist and sex therapist all rolled up in one."

"What?"

Joanna reached out and took Bette's hand, "We're a couple now... well, a secret couple. Only Kate knows. Acacia doesn't take kindly to us getting involved with each other. She thinks it blurs the lines for the choices we make on the battlefield."

Bo nodded, "I've heard that one before."

"Well, when you touched us..."

Bo nodded, "My touch has an effect similar to a truth serum."

"Well, the truth came out..." Joanna replied.

"Came flooding out." Bette winked, but cleared her throat when Kate elbowed her.

"You essentially removed our sense of duty and allowed us to admit what we'd always wanted."

They smiled, gazing into each others' eyes, "Each other."

"So, we didn't have sex?" Bo asked.

"Nope."

"And all of this time..."

"We should have told you, but... well, you haven't exactly been... available."

Bo nodded, "They are keeping me quite busy."

"We would have told Lauren, but she's been avoiding us."

Kate added, "I offered to tell her or you, but they insisted that they wanted to do it."

"Thank you. Thank you for telling me." Bo offered, "I just wish you had told me or Lauren sooner."

"Well, it was a little awkward." Bette explained.

Joanna added, "She did get your shirt off, so..."

"You have really nice boobs."

"Thanks... I think." Bo replied, pulling her jacket tighter around her body, "So we weren't fully naked and we didn't have sex?"

"Right on both accounts. You just took a shitload of our chi and apparently, according to the Healer, having sex in the presence of a Succubus still results in a feed for you since you would have fed on the sexual energy in the room." Joanna explained.

"And there was a lot of sexual energy in that room." Bette added.

Joanna nodded, "And... oh yea, we're sorry for having sex in your bed after you left."

"TMI." Bo replied, turning to Kate, "I think we're done here. Lunch?"

Kate nodded, "I promise you they will tell my sisters the truth of that night."

"We can't! Acacia will flip if she finds out about us!"

Bo shook her head, "Let them think what they want. The three of us know what happened. I'll make sure Lauren knows. It's fine."

The four women turned and walked back into the large yurt to see a very quiet lunch table... well, other than Lulu who was speaking animatedly to Kenzi. Bo walked over to the table and sat down, the other three women taking their seats as well.

Bo heard a chuckled from down the table, then a comment she struggled to let slide,

"So... moving on from threesome to foursome is she?"

Another comment followed. She looked up to see Lauren squeezing her fork tightly. Bo reached out to place her hand on top of her girlfriend's but the blonde pulled away, her eyes meeting Bo's,

"Lauren..."

A rumbling began at the far end of the table, voices getting louder, drawing Bo's focus until she heard Lauren's voice,

"I'm going to go..."

"Lauren, wait..." Bo stood with the blonde, both of them turning towards the sound of a tray hitting the ground before voices began to carry.

"We did NOT have sex with the Chosen One!" Joanna's voice boomed, "We had sex with each other!"

Joanna's eyes filled with tears as Bette took her hand, "We're a couple. You guys got a problem with that?"

"It's against the code!" Tessa yelled.

"Really, because I've never actually seen it written anywhere!" Bette replied.

Another Valkyrie warned, "You know how Acacia feels about..."

"Really? Has she actually ever said it? To any of you?" Joanna asked.

Another Valkyrie replied, "Well, she hasn't, but Tamsin has made it very clear..."

"Of course she did because she and Kate decided to call it quits!" Bette yelled, suddenly catching herself and covering her mouth, but it was too late.

The Valkyrie began throwing out all sorts of arguments for and against relationships within the sisterhood until Kate zoned in on one particular argument...

"Yea, well Tamsin was right. Kate almost got herself killed because saving Tamsin was more important than the mission and her other sisters."

"Well, that's why they never should have been split up on the battlefield! Kate never would have left the safety of her platoon if Tamsin hadn't been outnumbered!"

Bo looked at Kate whose grip tightened on her tray before she stood, lifting her now cold meal,

"Kate..." Lauren reached out, placing a hand on her friend's shoulder.

"It's okay, Lauren." She smiled, "I've got big shoulders, remember?"

They watched as Kate walked away, Bo turning to Lauren, "Lauren..."

"Bo, we'll talk, okay? I need to deal with my sisters." Lauren nodded towards the other end of the table, "Stay here with Lulu. I think she's a little freaked out."

Bo sat down, placing a hand on Lulu's, looking up at Kenzi who asked, "BoBo, what's going on?"

"I think we're witnessing a turning point for a long-buried battle among the Valkyrie."

"Momma? Are they gonna fight?"

"No, Lu. Why would you think that?"

"Because Tamsin says that Valkyrie are bred for battle. It's in their blood."

Bo smiled, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her daughter's ear, "I think there's a lot more in their blood than battle, Lu."

"Like what?" Lu asked.

Looking across the tent, she caught Tamsin's eye. Next to her, Acacia was smirking as she ate. Bo looked back at Lulu,

"Like love, Lu... love."

"Tamsin said love makes you weak." Lu replied.

Bo smiled, "Well, I love you and you've seen how hard I fight to protect you."

Lulu sighed, shaking her head before taking a bite of her bread.

"What's wrong, Lu?" Bo asked.

"Just one more thing I'm gonna have to teach the Valkyrie. The list is getting really, really long, Momma. It's a good thing that I picked Tamsin. She needs me."

Bo and Kenzi looked at each other and smiled, before Bo looked across the room to Tamsin again, "She certainly does, Lu. She certainly does."

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

It hadn't taken long for Lauren to figure out where her friend had gone. She extended her wings and quickly headed to the stables where she found her friend, saddling up her Pegasus.

"Mind if I join you? Aurora would love to stretch her wings." She smiled.

"It's a free plane. You can do what you want, Lauren." Kate replied, pulling the leather strap in her hand tightly, her eyes remaining on the task at hand.

"Hey... it's me."

Kate sighed, looking up at her friend, "Sorry. You know I can usually use charming, witty, sarcastic, hard-ass outside personality traits to cover up most of what I actually feel, but..." She shook her head.

"I take it the argument in there struck a nerve?"

"Nerve? Nope." She said, leading her steed out of the stall, "That one was like a spear straight to the heart."

Lauren frowned, watching her friend start to walk out of the stable. She quickly called out, "Wait for me? You know we never fly alone."

Kate sighed, knowing Acacia would kill her if she broke that rule, "You have three minutes, rookie."

Lauren smiled, quickly saddling her Pegasus while she spoke, "So, you and Tamsin were really a thing?"

Kate nodded, "A long time ago before she decided she was a danger to me."

"A danger?" Lauren pulled the saddle straps tight, stopping to look up at her friend.

"Yea, it's where her whole 'duty before love' thing comes from, only she's said it so many times now that she actually believes she can live without love in her life."

"But I thought Acacia agreed."

Kate shook her head, "Did you ever actually hear Acacia say that?"

"Well, no but..."

"Tamsin says that it's Acacia's orders, but it's not."

Lauren led Aurora out of the stables, "I take it you've spoken to Acacia about it?"

Kate nodded, "Spoken to her? We were together for a few months when we went to together to ask Acacia for our blessing... one she bestowed without hesitation. She was happy for us and especially happy for Tamsin. She even told me I was good for her."

"So what happened, Kate?"

The proud Valkyrie paused, "We were in love, Lauren... so in love. Honestly, I know the events that led up to our split, but do I actually know what happened to our love? Tamsin made a decision and I was forced to live with it... so I do. My only other choice would be to leave my Valkyrie family."

Lauren shook her head, "She led me to believe that she had lost the love of her life in battle."

"She did." Kate replied with a shrug, "She lost me." Kate nodded, climbing into her saddle while Lauren followed suit. They walked to the open field where they stopped,

"Kate..."

"Lauren, it's a long story," Kate shook her head, essentially cutting Lauren off from the conversation as her Pegasus extended it's wings and she readied herself for flight.

"Well, then I guess we're going for a long ride." Lauren smiled while she gave Aurora a nudge and galloped ahead of her friend."

Kate shook her head, laughing, "One of your greatest traits is your persistence, Lauren Lewis."

"And don't forget my ability to crack you open like a can-opener... your own words." Lauren chuckled as the two lifted off side-by-side.

The older Valkyrie smiled, knowing her little sister wasn't going to let her off the hook until she got her story.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

Kenzi, Bo and Lulu were playing Go Fish when Acacia walked over to their table and took the seat that Lauren had been occupying.

"Deal me in?" Acacia asked.

Lulu looked up, "Hi Aunt Acacia! Do you know how to play Go Fish?"

Acacia smiled, "I don't, but if finish the hand you're playing and I watch, I'm sure I'll pick it up."

Bo looked at Acacia, "So, any truth to the arguments?"

"Yup."

"So, are you going to tell me which parts?" Bo asked, getting a little irritated.

Acacia smirked, "Sure, all of them. There wasn't an argument stated that wasn't true."

"So why don't you tell them that you don't care who they love." Bo demanded.

Acacia shrugged, "One of the most basic lessons I've learned about being a leader is to never reprimand or contradict my generals in front of their troops."

"So, you're telling me that you allowed Joanna and Bette to feel like it wrong for two Valkyrie to love each other because you didn't want to make Tamsin to look bad?" Bo's anger was quickly turning to rage.

"Momma... please don't get mad." Lulu begged, placing her hand on her Mom's. Bo looked at her daughter's lavender eyes and quickly pulled her hand away so she could not influence her. She shook her head at her daughter, "Lulu, don't. I assure you that Aunt Acacia deserves my anger right now."

"But Momma..." Lulu started, but Bo glared at her sending a clear message that she did not want to hear her argument.

Acacia shook her head, "Oh come on, Bo. I thought you were the 'love conquers all' type. If so, love will always win in the end."

"Not if you tell a bunch of women who you have raised to warriors... a bunch of duty-bound Valkyrie that it's their duty to live without... to always put duty before emotions... before their hearts... before love."

"They won't live without love, they'll just delay having it. If two people truly love each other, and they're destined to be together, it will happen when the time is right."

"Joanna and Bette's time has been going on for years! They've missed out on so much time together." Bo raised her voice causing all of the remaining Valkyrie and Witches to look her way. She ignored them, maintaining her glower on Acacia.

"No they didn't, Bo and I'm surprised that you, of all people, don't realize that. They've been together for centuries. They've loved each other for centuries. They've gone from being sisters, to acquaintances, to friends, to very good friends, to best friends and now they've finally moved on to being bold enough to admit their love to each other. Why do you think I sent the two of them to you to heal?" Acacia smirked, leading Bo to scowl, "Waiting has given them time to build the very best kind of relationship... the very best kind of love... when someone can love and commit to a relationship with their best friend, that's the kind of love that will be fulfilling and lasting."

Lulu smiled up at her Mom, tapping her excitedly on the arm, "That sounds just like you and Lauren, Momma."

"Uh, Lulu, Lauren and I are..."

"Come on, Momma. Did you really think I didn't know that you and Lauren have S-E-X?"

Bo blushed as Lulu added, "Your auras are different now."

"Wait... she can see auras?" Kenzi asked.

Bo nodded.

"I swear, they tell me nothing!" Kenzi said to Acacia who just shrugged, "I get no respect! I'm going to go hang out with my witchy friends."

Bo frowned, her shoulders sagging, "Kenzi, do you really want to know about my sex life?"

"No and I definitely don't want to know that your mini-me here can tell when you and the Doc have had S-E-X."

"You don't have to spell it, Kenzi. Obviously she knows what it is." Bo replied.

Lulu shoved a spoonful of chocolate pudding in her mouth just before she spoke, "There's this great book about it. I learned all about the penis and the vagina and how the sperm meets the egg and then they cook in the womb until poof, nine months later the baby gets pushed out. Did you know that giving birth is like shoving something the size of a watermelon through an opening the size of a grapefruit?"

Bo shook her head. She might have known her daughter would read about the topic in the massive library, "Yes, Lu. I know exactly what giving birth is like. I had you, remember?"

"I thought you said I was just a little bigger than an oversized football!"

"Well, Fae babies are born to Succubi around seven months and they grow much more quickly than a Human baby, so they're smaller at birth." Acacia explained.

"Oh. I didn't read the Fae S-E-X book yet." Lulu replied, "I'll have to add it to my list."

"Why don't we hold off on that one for a while." Bo asked.

"Why, Momma? I already read the Human one. I'm ready."

Bo smiled, wiping the chocolate pudding from her daughter's mouth, "I'm not. I need you to stay my little Lu a little while longer. Can you please not grow up so fast?"

"Momma, that's a physical impossibility. My genetics determine my growth. I don't really have any say in it."

Bo laughed, before turning back to Acacia, "I just want you to make it clear to the Valkyrie... or to Tamsin if you need to... that there's been a change in policy and love is on the menu."

"I don't..."

"Look, Acacia. I can't explain it but... I just have this feeling that it's an important step in the evolution of your kind."

"What?" Acacia asked, confused.

"Don't look at me like I have two heads. I'm asking you to please trust me on this. I just have a feeling." Bo replied.

They were interrupted by a Valkyrie appearing by Acacia's side, "Mistress, we... uh... we have a... situation that needs your attention."

Acacia swallowed a spoonful of stew, then broke off a piece of bread and took a bite, her eyes never leaving her meal,

"Have you followed the chain of command?"

The young Valkyrie nodded, replying nervously, "Yes, Mistress. After the... incident began, we called Tamsin to come and assist."

"And did Tamsin address the incident of which you speak?" Acacia asked, still not making eye contact with woman.

"Uh... she tried but... well... she is the situation that now needs your attention... well, part of the situation." The woman replied.

Acacia shook her head and groaned. Picking up her bowl and bread, she looked at the group at her table,

"Apologies, Ladies, Lulu. It seems I am needed elsewhere. Enjoy the remainder of your lunch." She smiled before turning to the young Valkyrie, "Lead on."

Bo watched as the woman followed her subordinate outside. She looked at Kenzi, "I've got a bad feeling about this."

"It's Lauren's feelings." Lulu said before looking up at Kenzi, "Got any threes?"

Bo asked, "What do you mean, Lu?"

"What you're feeling... it's not your bad feeling. It's Lolo's bad feeling."

"How do you know that, Lu?"

"I'm an Empath, Momma. I know feelings."

Bo shook her head, "You only know blood relative feelings."

"Uh-huh. But you know Lolo's feelings, so I know hers because I know yours. Dontcha get it?" Lulu asked as if it was the simplest thing in the world.

Bo looked at Kenzi, who replied, "Don't look at me, Bobo. I barely understand half the stuff she usually says. This is all new to me."

"Lu, is Lauren in trouble?"

Lulu shrugged, "She's upset because Kate's upset and Kate's upset because Tamsin's upset and Tamsin's upset because of Joanna and Bette lovin' each other and they're upset because she's upset about them lovin' each other. But it's okay because Aunt Acacia's talking to them and I think Lauren and Kate will be back soon. I think Valkyrie just love to fight."

Bo nodded, "So should I go outside?"

Lulu shook her head, "You're not a Valkyrie. That wouldn't be a good idea. Besides, Jadis is gonna go out in about 5-4-3-2-1..."

On cue, they watched Jadis walk past the table.

"How did you know that?"

"Kenzi told me."

"Kenz?" Bo asked.

"What?" Kenzi asked.

"Did Jadis tell you she was going outside?" Bo asked impatiently.

"I... I don't... I'm not sure."

Lulu, how would you know what Kenzi was thinking?" Bo asked.

"She has a blood connection to you."

"Lulu, I know I call Kenzi my sister, but she's not actually a blood relative of mine."

Lulu shook her head, "But remember when she got hurt by the Hunters and you had to take her to the hospital?"

Bo and Kenzi looked at each other, "The blood transfusion."

"I didn't have a blood transfusion. I didn't need one. I healed on my own." Kenzi argued.

Bo shook her head, "The Amazon Healer... she told me to inject you with my blood... that it would heal you... it did."

Kenzi slapped Bo's arm, whispering in her ear, "Why didn't you tell me! That explains the incredibly horniness I get when that guy Hale is around!"

"Hale? You mean the Ash?"

Kenzi shrugged, "Maybe."

"Kenzi, he enslaved Lauren!"

"But he did it to keep her safe and protected from the Dark. He made her their Champion." Kenzi argued.

Bo shook her head, "I can't talk to you about this right now."

Kenzi shrugged, "It's not a thing, BoBo. It's not like I'm in love with the guy."

"Are you guys gonna play or argue about your love lifes? It's so annoying." Lulu sighed, "Adults are so annoying sometimes."

Bo and Kenzi laughed, turning back to the card game, "Sorry, Lu. You're right. Adults are really annoying sometimes." Bo replied, whispering to Kenzi, "Especially Valkyries."

"Good, now can we get back to our game? I'm almost finished beating you guys!"

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

"Tamsin, that's enough!" Acacia reprimanded.

The two women glared at each other for a long moment before they released their hold on each other and turned to face their leader,

"Yes, Mistress." Tamsin replied.

"Joanna, Bette... return to your yurt. I will speak with you later."

"But Mistress, we have chores..."

Acacia walked towards the two women, placing a hand on the shoulder of each and smiled, "I'll have someone cover for you. I believe you two have much to discuss. Talk... you've said a great deal to each other today. Now it's time you say those things alone... figure out where you go from here."

"Mistress, our duty is to the Valkyrie first. That hasn't..."

Acacia shook her head, her hand going to Bette's chin, lifting it so she could look into her eyes as she spoke,

"Your duty is to this woman if what you have declared today is true. Now you must find out how you will merge your duty as Valkyrie with your duty as mate."

Joanna's eyes went wide, "Mistress... do you mean..."

Acacia sighed, lowering her eyes, her thoughts going to what Bo had said to her just minutes ago. Raising her head again, she spoke,

"You have my blessing." She smiled.

"Mistress... I don't know what to say..." Joanna replied.

"I do! Thank you! Thank you, Mistress! This is... this is amazing! Joanna, it's..."

Joanna looked at Bette, her smile broad, "We can finally be together."

Bette smiled in return, "No more denying what we feel."

"No more hiding." Joanna smiled.

"No more dreaming dreams that we thought would never come true." Bette replied.

Joanna turned to face Bette, "No more crying my eyes out at night."

"No more heartache." Bette brushed a stray hair from Joanna's face.

Joanna's eyes filled with tears, "No more pretending I feel nothing but friendship."

"No more holding it in..." Bette replied, taking Joanna's hands in her own, "I love you, Joanna."

Joanna smiled, a tear breaking free to run down her cheek, "I love you, Bette... I always have."

"I always will." Bette replied before leaning in an giving Joanna a gentle kiss on the lips.

Acacia smiled, "Let it be known, from this day forward. True love shall receive my blessing because, daughters, love will conquer all and we need every power we have for the coming battle."

She saw Tamsin's jaw tense, her teeth grinding and decided it was time they had a little chat. She turned to Bette and Joanna,

"Ladies, you're dismissed. I'll expect you on the battlefield for training exercises in the morning."

The pair bowed, "Yes, Mistress."

"Tessa, you will lead exercises." She turned to her soldiers, "Valkryie! To the battlefield for afternoon training!"

The warriors all drew their swords and pointed them skyward, before they spread their wings and headed off as directed.

"Tamsin, it's time you and I had a little chat." Acacia replied.

"But Mistress, we have training. Clearly I've been demoted since you no longer value my point of view and have placed Tessa in charge of..."

"Tamsin, I still value your point of view. Tessa is running drills only so we can talk. You have not been demoted."

"How can you value my point of view when you allow love to enter the equation on the battlefield! Love makes you weak! It makes you unpredictable! It makes you question your choices! It makes you forget the rules of engagement in favor of saving..."

"Who, Tamsin? In favor of saving who? Someone you love? Someone you love so much you think of them, dream of them, want them every night of your existence? But rather than admit it to yourself, you harden your heart... you numb yourself to all emotion... you seek your answers in the bottom of a bottle all so you can get up the next day even harder and less caring than you were the day before? You push all of those feelings down so you can what... be a machine? What are you fighting for if not to save those you love?"

"But..."

"No, Tamsin. There are no buts. We are all here for Bo. We are all here to save her world... possibly this world as well."

"I know why we are here." Tamsin replied, gritting her teeth.

"Walk with me." Acacia replied.

Acacia knew Tamsin better than she knew herself. Years of teaching, training and working side-by-side with the younger Valkyrie had taught her that Tamsin's anger was better when channeled into something physical. Walking was as physical as they could get at the moment, so she allowed the silence to engulf them for the first five minutes before she spoke again,

"Tamsin, I know you see me as the leader here, but I am the leader of the Valkyrie. We are in the land of the White Witches who brought us here to seek shelter from the dangers of the Earthly plane and to slow the progress of Hades and his Hunters which could only be done in Bo's absence."

"I am aware of those details, Acacia."

"Good. Then you must also understand that the Chosen One is the leader of our joint task force... of the Collective."

"She's nothing more than a Fabling! She knows nothing of winning a war!"

Acacia nodded, "And she is not the one that will be fighting the war, Tamsin... that will be us, the Amazons and the White Witches. Her battle will be with Hades."

"She can't take Hades on herself!" Tamsin replied.

Acacia replied, "Calm yourself, Valkyrie!"

Tamsin looked straight ahead, silencing her voice, her teeth clenched.

"She won't be taking on Hades by herself. Do you forget the prophecy? She will not be alone. She will have those of the Prophecy by her side as it is written... she will have you by her side, Tamsin."

The blonde sighed as Acacia continued.

"But she is the Chosen One. You will have to learn to take orders from her, Tamsin. You will have to learn to respect her. You cannot continue to see her as an ignorant Fabling."

"But that's what she is! She knows nothing of battle!"

"Really? Then how is it she has survived and kept her daughter alive all of these years in those woods? You saw how many Hunters were there the day we arrived!"

Tamsin had no response for her Mistress' question. The truth was, she'd asked herself that question many times, but each time had, in her mind, responded with the sarcastic conclusion that Bo was just lucky.

"How did she do it, Tamsin? Maybe the better question is, if I left you alone in the woods, how long would you survive? A day? A week? A month? Six months? A year? Could you survive ten years, Tamsin?"

The younger Valkyrie stopped her steps and stared at the ground in deep thought. Acacia turned to face her,

"If Kate were lost in those woods, Tamsin, how long would you search for her? If she were wounded, how hard would you fight to save her? Would you die to save your sister? Would you die to save the woman you love?"

Tamsin's head snapped up, tears in her eyes, "Don't you say that! I don't love her! Love makes you weak!"

Acacia shook her head, "Yes, that's what you've been telling yourself and your sisters for centuries, but is it really true?"

"YES!" Tamsin replied without thinking. She didn't want to think. Not about whether or not she was right about... love.

"I made a mistake a long time ago, Tamsin... a mistake that I've regretted for about just as long. I should have talked to you so much sooner, but I probably dreaded the conversation more than you did and so I avoided it just as you have."

She sat down on a downed tree trunk, crossing one leg over the other and leaning forward onto her thigh, her arms crossed, hands relaxed as she continued,

"It was 1429 AD. You were in your first life."

Tamsin nodded, "The Battle against the English at Orleans... Joan of Arc..."

Acacia smiled, "What an incredible victory... what incredible sadness."

"I don't want to talk about it." Tamsin replied.

"Of course you don't, but we're going to." Acacia replied as Tamsin began to stand, shaking her head, "That's an order, daughter."

Tamsin sat, clenching her teeth as Acacia continued,

"That day on the battlefield... you and Kate were separated... you had told me you were afraid that if I assigned the two of you to the same duty that it would compromise your part of the mission. Kate had disagreed, but you insisted. You wanted to impress Mistress Freyja so badly..." Acacia laughed, shaking her head, "You were so proud of being a Valkyrie... of never having lost a battle."

"It's what I was born to do."

"What? Yes, it's what you were born to do, but being a Valkyrie is not all you're meant to be, Tamsin."

"If not a Valkyrie, what else am I meant to be?"

"We are not just our species, Tamsin. We are all so much more. Think about what you became when you heard the shouting... when you saw that Kate jump in front of a spear intended for Joan... when you saw that weapon slice through her body... something in you snapped."

"No one was protecting Joan. I had to get to Joan." Tamsin shook her head vigorously, but Acacia continued.

"Joan... right, of course. Still, I'd never seen a warrior fight so hard in my life... I'd never seen you fight so hard in my life and we'd fought every battle together up until that point."

"I left Mistress Freyja's side. She died because I wasn't there to protect her. I left my post to get to..."

"Joan... right?" Acacia teased, "Tamsin, you cut down twenty-three soldiers and saved Joan twice more, causing the English to lay down their weapons in that battle... the entire time, standing guard over Kate as she lay dying on the battlefield."

"I had to protect Joan. I did my duty."

Acacia shook her head, "You keep telling yourself that if it helps you sleep at night, but here's something for you to think about. I was under the command of Freyja until that day. She died when you left her side because you had something more important you had to fight for... Freyja and I both knew that... we knew it because we had given our blessing to the union of you and Kate. You were the one who asked to be signed to a different detail than Kate. If you hadn't, you would have been there by her side, both of you defending Joan while I was fighting with Freyja."

The Mistress shook her head, "But instead, I became Mistress that day when my leader fell because you followed your heart. Your weakness wasn't in leaving Freyja's side, your weakness was in putting duty before nature. Your weakness was shown when you feared what we would think of you had you chosen love over duty. But I will leave you to think on this... just as Ysabeau has defended Lulu all of these years against the Hunters and survived, what motivated you to cut down an entire platoon of soldiers while standing guard over a woman you should have been no where near?"

Acacia stood, pulling her jacket closed, "Think on that for a while and don't come out of these woods until you have your answer... an answer that makes sense."

The Mistress reached into her pocket, "Here, in case you must make a fire."

Tamsin looked up and caught the fire starter before she watched her Mistress turn and walk away. Wiping her cheeks, she thought back on the battle, replaying the scene over and over again in her mind... a scene she had played every single night since the day it happened... she could still hear and feel the scream that came from her soul when the spear ran through Kate's body like it had been made of butter. She felt her heart stop... her world stop in that moment. When she finally realized what was happening, all she could think of was getting to her lover. She doesn't remember engaging any of the soldiers Acacia spoke of... she was on auto-pilot, her senses reading the battlefield as never before while her eyes remained focused on Kate's body... her heart pleading with any God that would listen not to take her from the Earthly plane. She'd never allowed herself to admit it... but now, here and alone in these woods, the defenses she'd spent centuries erecting feel away like shards of broken glass. She closed her eyes and wept for the loss of her lover for the first time since they'd parted.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

"I'm sorry, Kate. I had no idea that... all of this time..."

Kate nodded, "Yea, life's a bitch and then you die... lifetime after lifetime after lifetime."

She laughed a nervous laughed before looking up across the water, checking to make sure her Pegasus was still with Aurora,

"I thought that after I'd died that the feelings would go away... that when I came back and was all grown up again that I wouldn't remember." She shook her head, "But when I was finished my rebirth, all of the feelings were there as if I'd just left her bed that morning... I loved her... I was in love with her... as much as I'd ever been... maybe more. I'd lost her once and I still felt the pain of having to leave her when I died. I didn't realize that when I saw her again, I would feel the pain of losing her all over again... that she would be the one to throw the spear the second time."

"Kate, I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault, Doc. Tamsin's made her choices. You didn't have anything to do with them. Hell, you weren't even alive." She chuckled, "Actually, your great grandparents weren't even alive."

"Still, I'm sorry that somewhere along the line, she somehow thought that her sense of duty should come before love."

"Well, Tamsin is convinced that love makes you weak. She feels responsible for everyone who died in her platoon that day and she also feels responsible for my death. She laid all of the credit for the victory on Joan's shoulders while she was truly the reason for the victory."

Lauren shook her head, "Her love for you is the reason for the victory, Kate. She fought to get to you, it's why she left her station. Only love can motivate someone to fight that hard. I learned that the day Bo came into the Dahl to find her daughter. She broke down a very thick door and fought off a lot of very strong Fae before we took her down."

Kate nodded, "I still find it amazing... impossible, actually... that she and Lulu stayed alive all of these years against the Hunters."

Lauren smiled, "Love conquers all."

Kate shrugged, "Yea, well I wish Tamsin could see that." She sighed, "But... that ship has sailed and I need to find a way to make peace with that... of course, it's been more than seven lifetimes and I still haven't figured out how to do that, so I'm not holding my breath on figuring it out. Vodka works... vodka and junk food help even more."

Lauren threw an arm over her friend's shoulder, "Don't give up, Kate. Change is coming and who knows... it may change things between you and Tamsin."

"Sorry, Doc, but hope is something I can't afford. Hope eventually runs out and when it does, it hurts even more when love remains unrequited."

The pair sat silently for a long while, skipping stone across the lake's surface before Kate finally noticed the sun was going down,

"We'd better get back, Doc. Acacia's bound to be pretty pissed that we missed the afternoon training session."

Lauren nodded, "I guess we'll be mucking stalls until midnight."

Kate shrugged, "Well, maybe we'll get lucky and they didn't work on flight formations as Tamsin had planned."

"Well, if you won't hope for love, at least hope for luck then."

Kate smiled as they stood to head back.

"Feel a little bit better?" Lauren asked.

Kate nodded, "I do. I've never talked about that before, so thanks, Doc."

"That's what friends are for, Kate."

"Well, you're the first friend I've ever had who wasn't a Valkyrie... well, not completely Valkyrie... so, this experience is new for me. This whole 'talk, trust and laugh but never fight' thing is a different kind of friendship."

Lauren smiled, "It's the right kind of friendship."

Kate nodded as she mounted up and readied herself for whatever awaited them upon their return.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

Lauren and Kate bowed their heads to the Mistress, "Apologies for our lateness for training, Mistress. This was my doing. Lauren was just..."

"Lauren was doing her duty in supporting the Chosen One. Ysabeau needs a strong support group for the battle that comes. That means that you as well as your sisters must move forward as a single unit. There can be no second guessing yourselves or your motives."

Kate nodded, her face filled with regret, "Yes, Mistress. My apologies, Mistress. Love will make me second guess the decisions I make on the battlefield just as Tamsin has taught us."

Acacia placed a gentle hand on the younger Valkyrie's shoulder, "My daughter, you misunderstand. Passions and feelings that have been denied take away your strength. It is time for you to reconcile the events of the past with your heart."

Kate looked at Acacia, her eyes filled with tears. Realizing her strong show of emotion, she cast her eyes down and wiped her face, "Apologies for my show of weakness, Mistress."

Acacia lifted the woman's chin so their eyes met, "I should have spoken long ago rather than trust the two of you to find your way. Emotions are not weakness, daughter... especially not emotions of love and heartbreak. Now go, mend your broken heart."

"Wh-what?" Kate asked.

"Tamsin is about a mile east of the meditation garden. I left her to sit on a log until she comes to terms with her feelings. I fear she may need you to get her there."

"I-I don't understand." Kate replied, looking to Lauren and then back to Acacia.

"As I told Tamsin, the Chosen One reminded me of a lesson I should have passed on to my Valkyrie. After all, collecting souls... taking them from those they love and who love them in return on this earthly plane... is a delicate matter. We could have... should have handled our jobs better. It's time I corrected our course as a species."

"What lesson does the Chosen One teach?" Kate asked.

Acacia looked at Lauren and smiled before turning back to her daughter, "The Chosen One wants us to remember that our power comes from a single source. The stronger that source, the more powerful we become."

"I wish to be the strongest warrior I can for the Chosen One. Please, Mistress. Tell me the source of my power so that I may hone it as I do my skill with a sword."

"Love."

Kate's eyes went wide while Lauren closed her eyes and looked off towards the yurt where she had left Bo, Lulu and Kenzi over two hours ago. She took Kate's hand,

"Do you feel this? The connection between us? The power of our friendship?"

Kate looked down at where their hands were joined before looking up at Lauren, "I do."

Lauren smiled and nodded, "That's the love between friends... you feel better than you did before we left, yes?"

Kate smiled, "I do."

"And what is it that you feel that you didn't feel hours ago?"

"Before we left, I felt... broken. Now, I feel... stronger. Like I can face what lies ahead."

Lauren grinned, "Kate, the love between friends or sisters, the love between a mother and child, the love of life, the love of all creatures and things... the love two people share when they find the one who makes them feel complete... it's that love that is the most powerful force on earth. It was that love that Tamsin felt for you that allowed her to cut down a platoon of warriors to save Joan and get to you. One Valkyrie should never have been able to accomplish such a task, yet she did. She was powered by her love for you, Kate... a love that continues to fuel her to this day, even though you are apart."

Acacia added, "She has made the decision to love you at a distance. She took the choice away from you and therefore, took away your power."

"My timing, my strength, my quickness, my instincts... I'm not the warrior I once was, Mistress."

"For a very long time, I have waited for the woman I once knew to return. Ysabeau has shown me that neither you nor Tamsin will be complete... be the force you can be for the Valkyrie... until you rectify your past with your present. Do you love her?"

Kate's eyes remained downcast as they filled with tears at the sound of Acacia's question, "Yes."

"Then go. Tell her."

"She won't listen."

Acacia smiled, "I have a feeling, she'll be much more open to your words now than she's ever been. If she's not, show her who's boss."

Kate looked up to see a wicked smirk stretch across her leaders' face. She smiled, "Yes, Mistress."

She looked at Lauren, "Thank you, Sister."

The Changeling quickly wrapped her arms around her friend, "No need. Just don't take no for an answer."

Kate pulled back, wiping the tears from her cheek before turning back to her Pegasus, "Come on, Orion. Let's go see about a girl."

Acacia and Lauren stood side by side, smiling before the Mistress turned to her younger charge, "You have been summoned by Jadis. It's time for you to begin your advanced training with the White Witches."

Lauren scowled, "Advanced training?"

"You must feel it, Lauren... you're no longer a Valkyrie. You're growing... changing."

"But..."

Acacia shook her head, "You will always be a sister to every one of these Valkyrie. You will always have Tamsin's blood in you and will forever have a bond to her and our clan. I believe Humans put it best when they say something like... once a sister, always a sister."

Lauren gave her a tight smile and nodded, "They do say something like that. So, does that mean that I no longer have a Pegasus? I no longer retain my Valkyrie blade? The gates of Valhalla are closed to me?"

"As I said, you will always be a sister and a Valkyrie by blood with all rights any of our kind would have. You retain this identity as part of your arsenal as a Changeling. Remember what you've been taught, Lauren. As a Changeling, you will always have what you need. If the Valkyrie is needed, you will be able to call up that power and all it includes."

Lauren nodded, sadly.

"What's the matter, child?"

Lauren shrugged, looking up at where her sisters were training in the field, "I was born a Human and lived most of my life unaware that another species... another world, existed. Then I spent the better part of a decade feeling weak, feeling excluded... feeling like an outcast who would never be... enough. Then suddenly, I was dying and I felt... well, if I'm being honest... relieved. I would no longer be a slave, no longer be fed on, no longer live under the threat of death because of daring to speak for the rights of Humans. Then, suddenly I'm being reborn into a species of women who supported me in every way I'd never been supported in my entire life."

"Surely you were supported as a youngling when you were Human." Acacia replied.

Lauren chuckled, giving her a tight smile, "Supported? No, my Human existence was just another period in my life where following orders and meeting expectations was the norm. With the Valkyrie... with you... I was encouraged to learn, to find my strengths and improve on my weakness. I was taught, I was supported, I was pushed to find my potential... to find my worth. I finally felt included... I was part of something... I had friends... I had sisters... I had... family."

Acacia nodded, "And now you feel as though you're losing all of that?"

"I guess... well... yes." She looked up at Acacia, "I'm not a Valkyrie, but not a White Witch. I'm this... thing... that isn't quite Fae. I'm something different... something that may never be accepted by the Elders... something that may even be feared."

"Sounds familiar." Acacia replied.

Lauren turned to her mentor, "It does?"

Acacia nodded, "It sounds to me like you have something in common with a small group of people that you know very well."

The Mistress watched as her younger charge processed her words, "Come on, Doctor. You're the most brilliant mind the Fae have ever known. Surely you can figure out this riddle."

Lauren laughed, "I've never been very good with riddles."

"Ah, I should have used a better word. It's not a riddle, not a myth... it's a prophecy."

"Bo?" Lauren asked.

"Well, apparently, much like you, she's never been supported by her family. Much like you, she is an outcast to the Fae. She was not taught or trained as a Faebling... at least you have that going for you." Acacia smiled, "She was left to raise a child and defend her on her own. She is half Fae, half Ancient while you are part Human, part Witch, part Valkyrie and because of that combination, many things we have yet to discover. You are both learning and experiencing new things which means you are also both experiencing the pain of growth."

Lauren looked at Acacia, a small grin breaking across her face as she replied, "Growing pains."

"You are not alone, child. You are Bo's and she is yours. You will always have your Valkyrie family, but this family will be second to your true family. The one you were born to have."

"Bo, Lulu... and Kenzi, too." Lauren smiled, looking back at the yurt where she'd left them.

Acacia nodded, "You'll never be alone, daughter."

Lauren lunged at Acacia, wrapping her arms around her mentor whose eyes went wide before she finally relaxed and returned the sentimental gesture.

"Well, that's the first hug I've had in a century." Acacia smiled awkwardly.

"Well, since your declaration of love is power, Doctor Lewis prescribes nine hugs a day, Mistress. You've got eight to go before sundown."

Lauren laughed, thinking of how awkward it would be for the strong leader to try to gather eight more hugs from her troops. She was definitely not the sensitive type, but things could change with their new philosophy.

"Yea, that'll happen."

"Hey. I little 'nice job' or 'way to go' with a half hug is a good start. Try it, you might like it and your troops may fight harder for you."

Lauren was surprised by her own words, but as they sunk in, she thought of Bo and how she had gradually won over the Amazon and the Valkyrie... she thought of how hard they'd fought and were still fighting for her.

"Love is the most powerful force in the universe, Acacia. Try it... you'll see." Lauren smiled.

"It is my intention to meet the Chosen One's challenge. Valkyrie as lovers... should be interesting."

"Should be fantastic." Lauren smiled, "Well, I guess I'd better get going. I'd like to stop by and see Bo before I report to Jadis. She'll be wondering where I am if I don't stop by and let her know I've been summoned."

"Work hard, Lauren. I'll still be seeing you once a day."

"Yes, Mistress. See you soon."

Lauren turned and walked away leaving Acacia standing on her own. She looked down at the tattoo on her middle ring finger and sighed,

"The most powerful force in the universe. Now that, I believe." She looked up at the sky, the wind force of the wind blowing her back a step, "No need to demonstrate your power, Freyja. I feel you every day, my love."

The wind blew again, this time the soft hum of words echoed through Acacia's mind, "Tamsin will find her way, my love. If she does not, I will show her that your death was not her fault. Rest, love, for I fear I will see you in Folkvangr sooner than I'd thought."

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

Lauren entered the dining yurt and smiled when she saw Lulu sitting on Bo's lap, speaking animatedly about something. Kenzi was sitting with the White Witches, attempting some sort of levitation spell with a spoon. Lauren laughed when the spoon shot across the hall landing right in a large bowl of chocolate pudding.

"Well, hello there. What are you two up to sitting here all alone?" Lauren asked, her hands in her pockets.

"We're waiting for you, Lolo! You've been gone really, really long and Momma was starting to get nervous."

Lauren pulled out the chair next to the pair and sat down, "I'm sorry, Bo. I would have sent you a text message, but unfortunately, in this plane..."

"I know, Lauren. It's okay. I don't expect you to check in with me every minute. You have a right to do whatever you have to do. It's just that when you left here, things got a little crazy with the Valkyrie and then Acacia had to step into some situation that Tamsin got herself into and..."

Lauren nodded, "It's okay, Bo. I think that everything is going to work itself out now. Acacia sent Kate to talk to Tamsin after Acacia apparently talked to Tamsin about something that you said."

"Something that I said?" Bo asked.

"Apparently, you are single-handedly changing the way the Valkyrie approach war... and love."

Bo grinned, "So Acacia took my advice?"

"Advice? No. Does she believe in your philosophy now? I think so."

Lulu smiled, "Love is the most powerful force in the universe!"

Bo tickled her daughter, earning an adorable giggle, "So you agree to, Miss Lulu?"

"Of course, Momma. It's your love for me that kept both of us alive until Lolo came for us!"

Bo and Lauren looked at each other and smiled.

"Lolo, Jadis came to get you, but you weren't here. She's looking at you." Lulu warned.

Lauren sighed, "I'm afraid I'm starting my advanced White Witch training today."

Bo sighed, "What's that?"

The blonde shrugged, "I have no idea. She hadn't really given me any specifics about my continued White Witch training. I was just hoping that she could tell me more about being a Changeling... especially since Acacia just told me I'm no longer just a Valkyrie."

"You're not?"

"She asked me whether or not I felt it... the change in me. I didn't really know how to answer."

Lulu shrugged as she spoke, "Of course you feel it. I felt you because you felt Momma."

"What?" Lauren asked Bo.

"Lulu felt you like she feels me. We share blood, so her Empath powers pick up my emotions. Apparently, since we have become... intimate... we share some sort of bond that allows her to feel what you feel through me."

"Wow. That's, uh... something."

Bo nodded, "So, will I see you for dinner?"

"I don't know. I suppose Lulu will be able to let you know?" Lauren asked, more than stated.

"I dunno. I'll try." Lulu replied.

"Okay then, I'm going to head over and talk to Jadis." Lauren looked down at her watch, "You two are due for your next sessions in twenty minutes. Don't be late."

Lauren leaned down and gave Bo a kiss before kissing Lulu on the cheek, "By girls."

The two responded with a unified farewell before Lulu grabbed Bo by the cheeks and turned her face to her own,

"You look pathetic when you watch her walk away, Momma. Aunt Kenzi is right. You're whipped."

"She said that, huh?" Bo asked.

Lulu nodded, "What's whipped?"

Bo laughed, "It means I'm head over heels in love and would do anything for Lolo."

"Yup. Kenzi's right. You're whipped."

Bo tickled Lulu who giggled before gripping her Momma's fingers and pulled them away, "Stop! I'm gonna throw up all my chocolate pudding."

"Lu, are you okay with me loving Lauren?"

The young girl shrugged, "You can't help who you love, Momma. Besides, I love Lauren too. She's good for us."

Bo smiled, "You think so?"

"I know so, Momma. She makes you calm and she makes me feel... like I can do stuff I didn't think I could do."

"I'm glad you love her, sweetie." Bo smiled.

"Me too. And I'm glad you don't have to not feed anymore. You stopped being cranky when you started doing the S-E-X with her. Your Succubus is happy now."

"She is?" Bo asked.

"Yup."

"How do you know that, Lu?"

The young girl shrugged, playing with the top button on Bo's vest, "She told me so. She loves Lauren and she doesn't have to worry about hurting her anymore."

"Anymore?"

"Momma, don't you remember? When Lauren was Doctor Lauren she was a Human. Now she's not so your Succubus doesn't have to worry anymore."

"I didn't know my Succubus cared if anyone got hurt by my feed. I just thought she wanted to be fed."

Lulu shook her head, "You really should talk to her, Momma."

"Lauren?"

"No, Momma! I'm talking about your Succubus! She likes when we call you guys Izzy."

"Does she want to talk to me?" Bo asked.

"She talks to you all the time. She gets all frustrated because you never listen. You just tell her what to do. If you would let her talk, she could help you."

"Help me what?"

"Help you everything." Lulu replied.

"I... gosh, you're my kid. I'm not supposed to need you to teach me. I'm supposed to be teaching you."

Lulu shook her head, "That's a parenting inaccuracy."

Bo's eyes went wide, "A what?"

Lulu laughed, "Do you need me to use smaller words, Momma?"

"Hey! Be careful there, Missy. No I don't. I just find it hard to believe that my ten year old daughter is using those words."

"I'm just trying to tell you that a lot of parents feel like they're supposed to know everything and teach their kids everything, but that's really impossible. Nobody knows everything... especially not you."

"Hey!"

"What? It's true, Momma. I read all of the books. You get bored and fall asleep when you try to read one. You know how to fight because my Daddy taught you that. I don't know how to do that stuff. You taught me how to cook, clean, and do all of the stuff I needed to know to take care of myself. Momma, you've taught me a ton of stuff and will still teach me a lot of stuff more! But you can't teach me my powers because you don't have them. I can't teach you your powers because I'm just a kid. Some stuff you know and some stuff I know. We have to work together, Momma."

Bo nodded, "I guess you're right, Lu."

"Of course I am. You raised me to be smart. Isn't that why you moved all of Grandpa's books to the cabin and made that library for me?"

Nodding, Bo responded with a simple yes before she asked, "So, my Succubus really wants to talk to me?"

Lulu nodded, "She wants to help you guys, Momma. Remember, if something happens to you, it happens to her too. She just wants some say in what you decide."

Bo shrugged, "I guess that makes sense." They sat silently for a long moment, Bo watching her daughter trace the threads on her vest while she reminisced about the day she'd moved her to the cabin. Finally, Bo asked, "Lu, can you help me learn to talk to her?"

Lulu looked up at Bo and smiled, "You can talk to her in the space between where your eyes go from brown to blue."

Bo nodded, "Okay."

Lulu smiled, "It's okay, Momma. You'll figure it out. You're still growing up just like me. We just gotta practice and practice and practice until we get it right."

Bo smiled, "Well then, we'd better get to practicing."

Lulu's eyes went wide, "Ohmagosh! We're late!"

Bo stood up, lowering her daughter to the ground, "It's okay. I'll write you a pass."

"What's a pass?" Lulu asked, walking alongside her Momma.

"Nothing important, sweetie." She took her daughter's hand, "Lu?"

"Yes, Momma?"

"Thank you for being my daughter."

Lulu smiled, "Thanks for being my Momma."

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

Bo was surprised when she returned to the yurt to find Lauren had beaten her into bed tonight. Bo had been disappointed that she wasn't free to meet up with any of her family, instead being sent from the White Witches to the Valkyrie, then to a history lesson with a woman named Sonya who taught her the story of the Ancients and their powers. She was now armed with knowledge of her Father and his family, but was also now worried about what powers she may have inherited. She had a headache from hours of focused concentration on the use of her powers to fight followed by hours of focused concentration on the historical importance of her family tree.

She changed as quietly as she could, slipping behind the bamboo divider to wash up and ready herself for bed. While washing her hands, she noticed the veins in her arms were protruding more than usual. It had happened several times during her session with Jadis, the witch only telling her that it was her dormant blood sage power struggling to rise to the surface. She had immediately shaken off the feeling, worried about what would happen. The truth was, the more Bo learned about her ancestors, and the more she feared the power that lay within her. Knowing exactly what happened in the past when she released only her Succubus, she couldn't imagine what would happen if all of that power came together at once.

She pulled on her kimono, tying it in front of her before leaning her hands on the wooden stoop that held the bowl of water and mirror. She stared at her reflection, allowing her eyes to slowly change from brown to blue and whispered in her own mind...

' _Are you there?'_

She didn't hear a voice, merely watched as her eyes turned a light blue before going back to brown.

She took a deep breath and tried again...

' _Uh... Succubus?'_

Again, she heard nothing as her eyes turned from light blue back to brown.

"I'll never be able to control this." She whispered into the quiet space.

"Bo?"

She stood up quickly, turning to see Lauren peeking around the edge of the screen,

"Are you okay, sweetie?"

Bo nodded, "Sure."

"What will you never be able to control?" Lauren asked.

Bo sighed. She'd been caught.

"Lulu told me she can talk to my Succubus... that my Succubus wants to talk to me. She said that I'd be able to talk to her somewhere between where my eyes go from brown to blue."

"I take it you tried and weren't successful?" Lauren asked.

Bo nodded.

"Well, what did Jadis say?"

"I didn't tell Jadis about what Lulu said. I just tried it now."

Lauren nodded, "Why not tell Jadis? The whole reason you're here is for her to teach you about your powers."

Bo shrugged, "I guess."

She sighed, looking up at the blonde, "I'm tired. Can we not talk about this right now?"

Lauren smiled, leaning in to place a soft kiss on her girlfriend's mouth, "Not another word, I promise. Come on. I've been waiting for you."

Bo allowed Lauren to lead her to their bed. The blonde turned and pulled back the covers before standing up and leaning back against Bo's chest,

"I missed you." She whispered as she untied her robe, allowing it to drop off of her shoulders at Bo's feet.

The brunette leaned in, kissing the blonde's neck, her arms wrapping around her waist, one hand moving up to cup her breast. She heard Lauren's breath hitch before she palmed her head and captured her mouth in a sensuous kiss, wasting no time deepening her effort leading the blonde to release a soft moan.

The doctor turned in the brunette's arms, reaching between them to untie her lover's kimono before pulling back from the kiss. Bo's eyes remained closed as she licked her lips until she felt Lauren's hands slip under the shoulders of her garment, sliding down the back of her arms causing the silk to slide free of her body and drop to the floor.

"You're so damn beautiful, Izzy. I will never get tired of looking into those deep chocolate eyes. I will never stop getting that giddy feeling in my stomach every time you smile until this dimple forms upon your cheek." She placed a gentle kiss over the small crevice that formed on Bo's face at her words, "I will never tire of the feel of the soft skin on your long, thin, neck. My lips are simply drawn to this spot."

Bo's head dropped back allowing the blonde all the access she wanted to the sensitive skin just below her ear.

"The first glimpse of these full, beautiful breasts is forever carved into my mind. Even when you're fully clothed, I can imagine these stiff peaks, the deep pink of the flesh around them and the feel of them in my hands and mouth."

Bo watched as the blonde thumbed both of her nipples, her hands holding the full mounds of flesh before her mouth took one hardened piece of flesh into her mouth. She reached out with her hand and gripped the post of the yurt, careful not to pull on it.

"Lauren... Gods, you know my body so well. The feel of your fingers, your hands, your mouth... hmmm... your tongue... you know exactly where and how to touch me to make me feel... Gods you make me feel... everything."

The blonde looked up at her love and smiled, taking her hand and pulling her slowly down to the bed with her. Bo leaned forward as Lauren lay back, settling her muscular thigh between her lover's legs and her heat atop the blonde's hip. The two shared a collective groan as they pressed their bodies together and began a slow, sensual dance.

"You feel so damn good, Bo." Lauren gasped, spreading her legs further apart before moving one hand to the firm buttocks of the Succubus. She gripped hard, pulling the brunette closer, earning a growl from her lover.

Bo looked down at the blonde, her eyes locking on hazel eyes before taking her lips in a passionate kiss. Lauren didn't need to be asked, opening her mouth to allow Bo's tongue access before the brunette pulled back, pushing up on her hands to get better leverage to thrust into her lover. She watched Lauren's eyes move from her mouth to her neck to her breasts. It was only a moment of hesitation before the blonde took a pert nipple into her mouth, swirling it her tongue around it, then flicking it with her tongue before taking it into her mouth and sucking.

"Lauren!" Bo cried out, "Baby... I'm so close."

The blonde didn't reply, only bucked up harder into her lover while moving her mouth to give the other breast the same attention until her need for air took precedence. She looked up at the brunette, her heart clenching when she saw the look in her eyes.

"I love you... so much, Bo."

"Gods, Lauren... I love you... I love you so much... come with me, Lolo... please."

"Izzy..."

"Lo..."

Their peak hit, mouths open, eyes locked, skin flushed in a moment that seemed to last for an eternity... an eternity of bliss where everything except that instant fell away and there was only their two hearts beating in unison until the wave of pleasure finally came to its peaceful end. Bo fell onto Lauren, the feel of the pounding chest to chest the point of their focus as slowly but surely, it calmed, replaced with the sensation of warm, wet flesh against warm wet flesh.

Bo pressed up onto her elbows, but Lauren held her grip, "Don't go to far."

"I'm not going anywhere. I just want to look into your eyes."

"Do you see it, Izzy?"

"I see you."

Lauren smiled, "But do you see how I feel about you?"

Bo reached up and slipped a finger beneath a stray piece of hair, pushing it back from Lauren's forehead to the pillow,

"I see your love... I feel your love... I know our love. It's the one thing I think I've always known somewhere deep down inside."

The brunette slid onto the bed next to the blonde who protested, "Hey! I thought you weren't going anywhere."

"You can still feel me, right?" Bo asked, propping her head up on her hand, her other hand traveling to the blonde's chest.

"Mmmm... definitely."

Bo looked down and watched her fingers trace around the dark pink flesh around the pert nipple of Lauren's breast,

"You know, I never thought I'd get to do this with you. I used to wonder what it would feel like... what you would feel like."

"And now that you know?" Lauren asked.

Bo grinned, "Now that I know, I can only wonder why I denied myself the feeling for so long."

"I have a theory." Lauren replied.

"And what theory is that, Doctor?" Bo teased, moving her hand to the other breast.

"Mmmm... you make it hard to concentrate." Lauren moaned.

"When you make those sounds, it hits me right between my legs."

"Good to know." Lauren smirked, running her fingers up Bo's shoulder to trace the blood vessel running along the brunette's neck.

"So tell me about your theory."

"My theory is fear of rejection."

"I was not afraid." Bo denied.

"You were." Lauren countered.

"Why do you say that?"

Lauren smiled, "You'd never been rejected by anyone. Sam, Kurt, Paulie... Janice."

"You knew about Janice?" Bo asked, shocked.

Lauren nodded, "It's why I never tried anything with you."

"How did you know?"

"She told me... well, bragged to me... in Chemistry Lab."

"That little bitch! We agreed not to tell anyone!" Bo replied.

"Oh come on, Bo. Janice couldn't keep a secret to save her life. She even let the surprise birthday party for Andrea Michaelson's sixteenth birthday slip!"

Bo sighed, "I'm sorry, Lauren."

"Yea, well knowing that you were interested in girls almost made it harder."

"Why?" Bo asked.

"Because the girl you wanted wasn't me." Lauren frowned.

Bo leaned in and placed a soft kiss on the blonde's lips, "The girl I wanted was you... the only one I wanted was you. I went through all of those other kids trying to find someone who could make me forget about you. We were best friends. I wasn't supposed to be in love with you because that would ruin our friendship."

"But then you and Kyle..."

"I know, I know."

"So why him and not me?" Lauren asked.

Bo shook her head, "He asked... and... well... I think... I think my Succubus answered. When we were with you, I just felt like I was with my friends... like he was the same thing he always was. But when we were alone, I had this... need... I just... took control... well... it wasn't really me, it was this... other version of me... like an alter ego. Do you remember that movie, Carrie?"

"You loved that movie. Gawd, I hated it."

Bo laughed, "I know and I always made you watch it with me because I was too afraid to watch it alone."

Lauren nodded, "I spent most of the movie with my head in your neck."

"I know... and I loved it."

Lauren smiled.

"Anyway, when I was alone with Kyle, I reminded myself of Carrie in some weird way. I guess all along..."

"It was your Succubus."

Bo nodded, "I wish I could talk to her like Lulu said so I could find out. I'd like to know what happened back then. I mean... is she sorry?"

"You mean for Kyle?" Lauren asked.

Bo hung her head, "He'll always be my biggest regret."

Lauren pulled the brunette into a tight hug, "I'm so sorry, Bo. If only your parents had taught you."

"But they didn't... and Kyle's dead... and so are a lot of other people because I didn't know how to control it."

Lauren lifted Bo's chin, "But you can now... no one else has to die unless they're harming someone else."

Bo nodded, "My control is improving in all of my drills. I haven't needed Lulu to stop me all day."

"I guess we're both growing and learning as we come into our true powers." Lauren sighed.

"I guess so." Bo replied, her hand sliding from Lauren's breast down her body to her hip where she moved her fingers back and forth over the crest of the bone.

Lauren stared into Bo's eyes for a long moment before she kissed her gently on the corner of her mouth, then fully on her lips. Bo slid her hand beneath the blonde's thigh, lifting her leg up and out, before allowing her fingers to trail lightly along the upper limb until they reached the moist, warm center of her lover. Keeping her eyes trained on Lauren's, she parted the full lips, gliding her fingers up and down the wet path, her thumb settling on the erect bundle of flesh-covered nerves while two fingers sunk into her core.

Bo watched, mesmerized as soft brown eyes responded, her mouth falling open, cheeks flushing pink while her hips rose up to take her fingers in deeper.

"Izzy... my Izzy."

"I'm right here, Lo... and I'm all yours now. You'll never have to doubt or wait for me again. What you feel right now is me... your Izzy... inside you... loving you. It's me, Lolo... you and me... together... for as long as you'll have me... we'll be here just like this."

Lauren closed her eyes, her head falling back as Bo took a firm nipple in her mouth, her fingers working to fill her in all the best possible ways while her thumb continued to touch her clit in the most sensous ways. She's never felt so full... so satisfied... so completely satisfied by any lover.

"My body has been waiting all my life to be touched by you, Bo. It's like my body has always known it was you that it wanted... craved... needed... to feel... complete."

"And your body has me, Lolo... your body, mind, heart and soul. I'm yours, Lo."

Lauren stared up at Bo, her climax drawing ever closer, "I can't believe this is real... that we're really... here... together... a couple."

"This is real... we're real... feel my touch, Lo... it's telling you all you need to know. It's me. It's your Izzy... and I love you so damn much."

"Izzy..." Lauren's hips bucked into Bo's hand, her breathing more rapid, her brown eyes darkened as she lifted her mouth to Bo's, kissing her hard. Pulling back, she held her focus, "I'm... I'm... gonna..."

Bo watched as her lover's eyes held love, lust and passion all packed into a single moment... a single, amazing moment of bliss that she had given to the blonde. The sensation filled her to the very core of her being to see her Lolo experiencing such pleasure until finally, the moment ended and the blonde sat up, pulling Bo into her arms, holding her tightly as her hands pawed at her back.

"I'm here, baby. I'm right here."

"I can't get close enough... I want you closer." Lauren said, holding the brunette impossibly close.

"Shhh... listen, baby... feel me... I'm in your mind... I'm in your heart... I'm in your soul... listen and feel... I'm in you."

Lauren closed her eyes, relaxing her grip slightly while Bo held her tight until finally, she drifted off into a peaceful sleep. Bo pulled back, looking at the blonde, her thumb reaching up to trace her lips before placing a soft kiss on her mouth,

"I'm in you, Lulu and you have and will always be in me." She smiled, laying her head on the blonde's shoulder and cuddling into her side before closing her eyes and allowing sleep to take her.


	7. Chapter 7: Ready or Not

**A/N: Sorry for the long delay, just a lot going on. Thanks for all of the reviews, faves, follows, suggestions, etc. So, if you're still reading, let's get to it!**

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 _ **CHAPTER 7: Ready or Not...**_

Lauren shook her head, as she spoke, "Mother, I just want to go on record as saying this is a bad idea... a very, very bad idea."

Jadis nodded, smiling at Lauren, "It's on the record then."

The Changeling turned to the White Witch, "Jadis, you know that the Valkyrie and the Amazons do not get along. You know that Bo doesn't trust most of my sisters... well, except Kate. How on earth do you expect them to learn to fight together?"

The older woman smirked, staring out across the practice battlefield, "Well, for starters, we're not on your earth, are we."

It was a statement and not one to be questioned, apparently, for as soon as she'd made the remark, Jadis turned and walked away, waving over her shoulder at Lauren to follow. The blonde sighed before doing as asked, her eyes scanning the area the witches had laid as the mock battlefield for this training session.

To her right, she saw the Amazons led by Selia and Sabrina, the second in command. They had arrived two days ago, having left five other tribes on Bo's family land. Of the Amazons that were visible, all were armed with swords, but Bo had taught Lauren a great deal about how the Amazon's fight, so she was well aware that the Amazons always had a backup plan. They were invisible to the untrained eye, but since the Succubus had begun teaching Lauren the ways of the Amazons she now had a good idea of what to look for... in the trees... in mud... in a river bank... they were masters at camouflage and capable of things that seemed like... magic. But even with Bo's explanation, Lauren still couldn't make out so much as a foot on any of the warriors in the trees.

She looked to her left and saw the Valkyrie standing in formation with Acacia at the head of her army of soldiers, Tamsin at her right and Tessa at her left, both Generals slightly behind their leader.

She noticed Bo standing with her arms crossed over her chest to her blood sister's right and she did not seem happy as they argued about something Lauren could not hear. She shook her head as she thought about what she had just told Jadis... this was a _very_ bad idea. They simply weren't ready to be on the same team just yet and she didn't know if they ever would be until blood was being spilled on the battlefield.

Acacia turned and pointed towards Lauren, shouting something at Tamsin and Bo who immediately began to withdraw from the battlefield. As they got closer, Lauren shook her head, hearing Bo's voice,

"Tamsin, if you can't figure out how to work with my Amazon friends, I'm going to suggest to Acacia that replace you with someone who can."

"You don't know them like I do, Bo. If you did, you would not want Lauren and Lulu around them!" Tamsin replied.

Bo stopped and turned on Tamsin, poking her hard in the chest, before pushing her shoulder back,

"You're right! I don't know them like you do! To me, they're the women who came to my forest and helped me after Lulu's Father died! They saved Lulu when she was just an infant and again when she was a small child! Their leader's daughter is my daughter's one and only friend her age! Their leader's wife is the one who taught me how to live off the land which, in turn, has kept me and my daughter alive for a decade, Tamsin! What could you possibly have to say that could make me believe they are anything less than honorable?"

"They were there when Freyja was killed and they did nothing!" Tamsin screamed, her eyes filling with tears.

"Who the hell is Freyja?" Bo replied.

Lauren walked over to her girlfriend and quietly replied, "She's the former Mistress of Valhalla. She died battle a long time ago, but her death is still fresh in every Valkyrie's mind."

Bo frowned, "I'm sorry you lost your former leader, but you are going to have to put that aside so you can work with the Amazons. I cannot have loyalties split when the time comes to fight my Father."

"You?"

Bo shook her head, "Yes, me. I'm the Chosen One, remember?"

"Oh, so you're going to lead us all into battle, huh?" Tamsin replied sarcastically, crossing her arms over her chest.

"It's the Prophecy, Tamsin."

Tamsin turned towards the brunette, "You're just a Faebling who can barely wield her own sword let alone make battle decisions. Acacia would never listen to you."

The Succubus turned to face Tamsin, "Oh is that so?" She leaned in challenging the Valkyrie.

The blonde pointed towards the battlefield as she spat out her retort, "Yes, that's so! Every single one of those women out there has more battle experience in their pinky finger than you have in your entire body! You making battle decisions would be suicide for all of us... not one of us would be stupid enough to follow you! Even your girlfriend here knows I'm right!"

"You think that Lauren would stand with you against me? Want to put that to the test? You think you have some sort of sick claim over my girlfriend because her blood is in your veins? Better yet, you think you have some sort of control over what's coming just because you took out a few Hunters, don't you?"

The voices of the pair had grown louder and louder, drawing the attention of the women standing on the battlefield. Acacia and Selia made their way to the sidelines, just as the two were about to come to blows,

"Tamsin, are you poking the hornet's nest again?" Acacia asked, seeing Bo's eyes glowing blue.

Tamsin glanced at her Mistress before turning back to Bo, "As for Lauren, yes my blood is in her veins and it bonds us in a sisterhood you could never understand.

The color of Bo's eyes flared blue, the veins in her arms bulging as she struggled to keep her Succubus at bay. Inside, she felt something else rising to the surface... something new... something powerful. She lowered her head, gritting her teeth,

"Step back!" She warned.

"Or what?" Tamsin pushed.

Bo looked up at the blonde, her eyes a brilliant blue, her veins bulging from her forehead, neck, chest and arms,

"I'm warning you... don't push me, Tamsin. You are nothing. Your bond to Lauren is nothing."

Tamsin cocked her head to the side, laughing, but Acacia warned,

"TAMSIN! Step back! NOW!"

The blonde looked at her Mistress, laughing as she gave her a mock bow and took two steps back,

"She can't lead our forces into battle. She can't even control her powers. Acacia, you can't seriously be considering putting her in charge of this battle." Tamsin laughed.

Lauren's eyes pleaded with Kate to come and help. She could see her sister's shoulders visibly slump as she sighed and began walking slowly towards the group. Jadis, Shyla and Aspera all ventured towards the group as well, whispering among themselves as they walked.

Bo stood, seemingly in a trance as she cocked her head to one side, then to the other, her eyes never leaving Tamsin's. The blonde mumbled something through her laughter and what happened next no one saw coming. Bo shimmered to Tamsin, gripping her by the throat and heaving her across the battlefield.

"TAMSIN!" Kate yelled, instinctively drawing her sword and swinging it towards Bo, but Lauren had reacted more quickly, blocking her attempt,

"KATE! No!" Lauren cautioned, her eyes flaring white causing everyone's eyes to go wide.

Bo shimmered to where Tamsin lay once again, but this time, Lulu was by Tamsin's side as soon as Bo arrived. She threw herself onto the Valkyrie's still form and looked up at her Mother,

"Momma NO!"

Bo stood still, her voice echoing as she spoke, "Step aside, child."

"No." Lulu replied firmly.

"You will obey! Step aside!"

Lulu reached up and took Bo's hand, "Blue. I know you can hear me. Stop. I know Tamsin probably did something mean or stupid, but you can't kill her. She's not your enemy."

Bo's eyes changed back to blue, her veins slowly receding before the brunette wobbled and dropped to the snow beneath her. Lauren and Shyla came running towards the scene, the Doctor checking on Bo while the Healer of the White Witches checked on Tamsin.

Lauren ran her thumb back and forth over Bo's lips, "Bo? Bo?"

The brunette slowly opened her eyes, staring into the blonde's as she spoke, "Feed, Bo."

The Succubus took a long draught of chi from her girlfriend before her eyes fluttered open and her color returned,

"Wh-what happened?"

Lauren shook her head, "What do you remember?"

Bo frowned, trying to concentrate on the last memory she had, "We were on the battlefield. Tamsin and I argued and Acacia sent us off to the sidelines until we could get our respective shits together. That's the last thing I remember."

Lauren sat back giving Bo a full view of her daughter at Tamsin's side, the Healer tending to a wound on her head,

"Tamsin is... hurt." Lauren replied.

Bo sighed, "Did I do that?"

Lauren nodded, "You did."

"I didn't hurt Lulu, did I?"

Lauren shook her head, "She must have felt you again. She came and stopped you from doing anymore harm to her."

Lauren paused, her fingers tracing over the skin where she had seen her girlfriend's veins bulge from her arms,

"What aren't you telling me, Lo?"

"Something... some new things happened."

"What?" Bo asked.

"You shimmered, Bo. That's how you got over here. You shimmered just like Lulu does."

"But... I don't know how to do that."

Lauren nodded, "I know, sweetie, but you still did it... and... well, something strange happened with your blood vessels. They were... protruding, for lack of a better word. Your strength... you threw Tamsin by the neck from fifty yards over there."

She nodded to where the leaders were all gathered.

"Shyra. Is she... alive?" Bo asked, hesitantly.

The Healer looked at Bo and smiled, "Yes, child. She'll be fine. Tamsin has a hard head. It's why we picked her."

"Picked her?" Lauren asked.

Jadis spoke from behind the blonde, "We needed to do something to unmask the depth of the Chosen One's powers. We had Tamsin instigate an argument. She's very good at that sort of thing."

Bo scowled as Lauren shook her head, "That was a dangerous gamble."

"We're out of time, child. The Chosen One is behind in her training because she continues to fear her power."

Bo stood and turned to face Jadis who had now been joined by all of the leadership, "Do you people not get it? My Father is HADES! He is pure evil! I grew up with that man! I know how manipulative he can be! You never know why he is saying or doing what he is. He cannot be trusted!"

Jadis nodded, "It's not Hades we must trust, child."

"But don't you get it? He's IN me! I have his blood! I'm the Princess of Hel to his King!" She sighed, "Look, all I'm saying is that maybe the Fae elders are right. Maybe I am the one to bring about the Apocalypse. You don't know that they're wrong."

Jadis began to speak, but Lauren stopped her, "If you all would excuse us, please."

Lauren stood, offering her girlfriend her hand. The brunette looked at it before finally accepting the gesture and allowing the blonde to pull her to her feet. Lauren turned to Lulu,

"Come on Lu. I'm going to need you too."

Lulu stood and took Lauren's other hand. The blonde turned to Aspera, "I'll need Kate, Kenzi, Jadis, and Selia in the Ritual Yurt..." Lauren looked at the group and then back to the Fae Elder, "Aspera... please?"

"So it shall be." She replied, "But you might want to let the Chosen One in on your plan, Lauren."

The blonde nodded and began to walk, but Bo pulled her back, "Lauren? What's going on?"

"I'll explain, Bo." She released her hand, placing it gently on her cheek, "Trust me?"

Bo searched the blondes eyes and saw nothing but love and determination, "Always."

Lauren looked down at Lu who pulled her hand until her ear was near her mouth. The Faebling whispered to the doctor,

"I think this is a great idea."

Lauren kissed her cheek, "I was going to ask you if it was okay when we got to the yurt."

"It's not okay."

Lauren frowned.

"It's more than okay! It's... amazing!" Lulu smiled.

"Okay, am I going to know what's so amazing?" Bo asked.

Lauren and Lulu looked at each other and laughed before turning to Bo and replying, "No."

Bo scowled as the two laughed, pulling her towards the ritual tent.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

Lauren had instructed the two to wait by the center fire pit after entering the Ritual Yurt. Bo helped Lulu remove her gloves, hat and coat before removing her own outer layers. She then sat down on the ledge next to the fire, and pulled Lulu onto her lap,

"So are you going to let me in on the big secret between you and Lolo?" Bo asked.

Lulu raised her eyebrows and pushed her palms into the air, "I have no idea what you're talking about Momma."

She giggled when Bo tickled her, "You're really not going to let your Momma, the woman who changed all of those diapers when you were pooping yourself, fed you, bathed you, clothed you and wiped your snotty nose... you're really not going to let me in on this secret?"

"Are you trying to say that I owe you for all of the things you did for me when I was just a helpless tiny baby? Because if you are, then I think you can't be mad at your Grandfather anymore."

Bo frowned at the mention of the sore subject. She still had to have that meeting with Trick. Jadis had brought it up several times since they'd been here and Bo had skillfully changed the subject every single time. She knew she'd eventually have to face the music since Lauren's team was coming in two weeks time, but as far as she was concerned, she didn't need to listen to the tune any time before then.

"That's not the same thing." Bo argued.

"Oh yes it is and you know it, Momma. You always try to tell me to do things that you don't do yourself."

"That is not true." Bo defended.

Lulu laughed, "You're using denial as a defense mechanism, Momma. It's not healthy."

Bo's eyes went wide, "That's it. I'm banning you from your library. You're getting way to smart."

Lulu crossed her arms over her chest, pouting, "You're just mad that I'm right and you're wrong."

"Well, I'm the Momma. Do as I say, not as I do."

Lulu laughed, "Now I know you know you're wrong. You told me a long time ago that parents should never tell their kids to do anything they wouldn't do themselves."

"Fine. I'm wrong. Satisfied?"

"Yes." Lulu smiled proudly.

"What was I wrong about?" Bo asked.

Lulu giggled, "I don't remember either!"

The pair laughed and laughed until eventually Bo began tickling her daughter just so she would have a reason to continue sending that beautiful sound out into the universe. Bo loved her daughter's laughter and she'd heard entirely too little of it lately.

"What's wrong, Momma?" Lulu asked when Bo suddenly grew silent, her eyes locked on her daughter's face.

Bo realized she'd gotten lost in her own thoughts, "Nothing, sweetie. I'm fine."

"Uh-uh. I felt sadness. What's wrong?" Lulu asked.

Bo shrugged, "I was just thinking about how little I get to hear you laugh... really, really laugh like we used to back at the cabin."

"I laugh a lot, Momma." Lulu replied, before it hit her, "We're just apart a lot more now than we used to be. I have my training and you have yours."

The youngster's eyes brimmed with tears as she added, "I miss you something awful, Momma."

"Oh, Lu... I miss you too. So, so much, sweetie." Bo pulled her in for a hug, holding her tightly while both of them allowed tears to roll down their face. Feeling her daughter's body begin to quake softly, she took a deep breath and leaned back, pulling Lu's eyes to meet her own,

"You know what? I'm putting my foot down. I'm going to speak with Jadis about arranging more time for us and I want you to stay with me in Lauren's yurt at least three times a week. What do you say to that?"

Lulu's mouth turned up into a huge grin, "Really? Really, I can?"

"Of course you can! We'd love to have you there with us!" Bo replied.

"Are you sure?" Lulu asked, fumbling with the sleeve of Bo's shirt.

"Why would you have any doubt?"

Lulu shrugged, "Because Aunt Kenzi said we have to stay out of Lauren's tent because you guys might be 'bow-chicka-wow-wow'... whatever that means."

Bo's eyes went wide, "You know, one of these days, I'm seriously going to hurt your Aunt."

"Huh?"

"Nothing. Lulu, you do not have to avoid Lauren's tent. I was wondering why you never came to see me or Lauren. Honestly, I thought it was because you didn't really need me anymore... I mean, you have Tamsin with you all the time and Dara is your personal guard. Now Deeana is here and I'm sure you're hanging out with your friend Seera, so..."

"Momma, none of those people can take your place. I was staying away because Kenzi and Tamsin told me that you and Lauren needed private time."

Bo shook her head, "Okay, let's try something... right now, I'm a little hungry. Can you feel my hunger?"

Lulu shrugged, "I don't really feel it because... well, I know you're hungry before I actually feel your hungry."

"How is that?" Bo asked.

"Because I get hungry first, then I notice that I feel your hunger." Lulu replied.

"Oh, Lu... why didn't you tell me?"

"They're working you real hard and you have bruises and you're bleeding a lot so... well, I know you'll want to give me your chi if I tell you I'm hungry, so... well, I just don't tell you. Besides, lately I get hungry and then I realize you're hungry and then... well, I'm not hungry anymore. It usually happens at bedtime."

Bo blushed and cursed herself silently for not realizing that being intimate with Lauren would be something that could impact Lulu.

"Lu? Do you feel it when I feed from Lauren?"

Lulu considered her Momma's question for a moment before she answered, "I don't really know you're feeding from her and I don't feel the chi like I do when you give it to me. I just feel... I mean, I'm hungry and then I feel like... warm... like you just came home and hugged me by the fire at our cabin. I feel like... home."

Bo smiled, "That's how I feel when Lauren holds me too."

"She gives really good hugs."

Bo chuckled and pulled her daughter into her arms, "She certainly does, Lu."

The pair sat in silence, Bo rocking Lulu in her arms as they stared into the fire before the youngster looked up at Bo,

"I really am hungry, Momma."

Bo tipped Lulu's chin up to her and pushed a good, long stream of chi into the Faebling before allowing her to relax into her chest,

"I love you, Lulabelle."

"I love you, Momma."

"So... how long are we going to sit here waiting for whatever it is we're here for, Lu?"

"Lauren has some stuff she has to do. Normally, a ritual like this would take weeks to plan."

Bo nodded, "So it's bigger than a bread box, huh?"

"It's bigger than our whole cabin, Momma."

"What is Lauren doing, Lu? Can you tell me? I'm getting really nervous here."

Lulu looked up at her Momma and smiled, "I think that Lauren is going to help you believe in yourself."

"Oh yea? And how is she going to do that?" Bo asked.

"By showing you how much she believes in you." Lulu replied.

"Lauren, the Witches, the Valkyrie... they don't know me like you and Kenzi do... like Selia and the Amazons do. You all know just how dangerous I was before... and that was when the Hunters were feeding on some of my power. Now that I'm here, it's getting stronger... the pull of my dormant powers... I can feel them, Lu... and I'm afraid... I'm terrified of what I might become."

"I know, Momma... I can feel how scared you've been and I can feel how hard you're fighting to hold back the power. But I'm getting stronger too, Momma. I'm just not stopping my powers. Dara says I'm embracing mine... enjoying them and so I'm getting better at controlling them instead of letting them control me."

Bo didn't want to tell Lulu that she was afraid of what would happen to her if she released the darkness within her, but she also knew that Hades blood was in the Faebling as well. She was terrified of what it could mean for her daughter.

"Lu, you need to be careful, sweetie..."

"I know what you're gonna say, Momma and you're wrong. I may have Grandpa Hades' blood in me, but I also have you and my Dad and my grandma Aoife and my grandpa Trick's blood in me too. They're all good people and all of their good has to be stronger than Grandpa Hades' bad... it has to be."

Lulu's voice was filled with determination, her tiny face covered in a scowl that dared Bo to challenge her thoughts on her powers.

"Momma, you have Grandpa Trick's blood in you. I saw it when I got to the battlefield." Lulu traced her fingers back and forth over the large vein in Bo's forearm, "It heard your anger and it called to me. I think the stuff in here is why I know when you're losing control, Momma. I think it's Grandpa Trick's blood."

Bo nodded. The truth was, she didn't know anything about Trick, the powers of a Blood Sage or about what having his blood would do to her or Lulu. They were guessing... something they wouldn't have to do if Bo would allow Trick to visit her and explain. If she talked to him... opened herself up to a relationship with him, she might be able to get some answers.

"I guess you might be right, Lulu." Bo replied.

Lulu nodded, "I know I'm right and as long as we share the same blood, I can help you control it because of my Empath. I'll always know you're angry and then I can shimmer to wherever you are and calm you down with my Empath powers."

Bo shook her head, frowning, "A child shouldn't have to control her Mother's power for her. I should be able to do it on my own."

"You will, Momma... and once you let yourself talk to Grandpa Trick, he'll help you. Until then, I'm here to help you." Lulu smiled, but Bo shook her head, frowning,

"You couldn't stop me from hurting Tamsin, Lu." She looked up at her daughter, "I know she's becoming a friend to you... I could have killed her." Bo replied.

"But you didn't."

The pair looked up to see Tamsin standing with the support of Kate, "I'm sorry to come. I know Lauren didn't ask for me to be here, but... well, I had to come and apologize for the things I said. Jadis, Acacia and Selia agreed it would be the best way to get you to..."

"I know, they wanted me to lose control. I take it everyone sees now why they should never do that again?" Bo replied.

Tamsin went to reply, but Kate gripped her hand tightly and subtly shook her head, "You certainly are... energetic... when your dormant powers come out."

Tamsin added, "In all fairness, there was absolutely no one stopping you and I knew exactly what I was doing. No one would ever do that to you normally."

Bo shook her head, "Yea, well the battle coming will be anything but normal. Besides, I think it's exactly what they'll do. They're desperate now. They'll go after the three hearts. Eliminate them and all that will be left of me will be pure evil."

Lulu looked up at Bo, "Momma? Are the Hunters going to kill me?"

Bo gripped Lulu's face, "No, baby. Gods no. I will not let that happen and neither will Lauren, Kenzi, the White Witches, the Valkyrie, the Amazons or Lauren's friends. There are an awful lot of people here to protect you. You are not dying, Lu so get that thought out of your head."

She pulled her daughter into a desperate hug, holding her head tightly to her chest as she looked at Kate and Tamsin with tears in her eyes. Kate strode over to the pair and knelt down in front of Lulu,

"Hey Lu? You know Dara is our best warrior, right?"

"That's what Tamsin said."

"Yea, well you know that Tamsin is Acacia's General..."

"And Tessa too." Lulu added.

Kate nodded, "And Tessa too. They're great warriors and they're also super smart about how to approach a battle. They also have a lot of experience. That's how Tamsin and Tessa got to be Generals. But Dara? Dara is skilled with every weapon ever fashioned from Dwarfen Steel. It's why she was made your personal guard."

"Don't tell anyone I said this, but Dara can kick my ass every day of the week and twice on Sundays." Tamsin replied.

"Really?" Lulu asked, her eyes wide.

"Really." Tamsin nodded.

Kate smiled, "Dara has given her Life Oath to protect you just like all of the other Valkyrie. They'll have to get through three hundred of us before they can get to you."

Bo added, "And behind the Valkyrie will be two thousand Amazon Warriors who have given their Sacred Oath to protect you since your birth."

"And behind them will be another one thousand White Witches who believe if they save you, they bring peace to all of the realms of the universe." Tamsin added.

"What will happen to Lauren and her friends? And you?" Lulu asked of Bo.

Bo tweaked her daughter's nose, "We're protected by Prophecy, Lu. I'll have my team and we will close the portal."

Lulu hugged Bo, "So we're all gonna live!"

Bo looked up at Kate, then Tamsin as she rubbed Lulu's back, her eyes brimming with tears as she lied to her daughter,

"Yes, Lu. We're all gonna live."

Tamsin took Kate's hand in her own, giving it a gentle squeeze, the two sharing a glance before looking back at Lulu's head slumped against Bo's chest, a small smile gracing her features as her mouth dropped open and she fell off to sleep.

"Bo..." Tamsin began, but the Succubus shook her head.

"Learning about her powers and battle strategy are the first priority, Tamsin. Lessons in dealing with death brought about by war... well, that will be dealt with by those that remain in her life when this is all over... not before."

Tamsin nodded, leaning her head on Kate's shoulder. Bo found it odd to see Tamsin leaning on the other blonde. It somehow made her seem... vulnerable. But more and more, she was beginning to realize that even the strongest among them would be vulnerable in the coming battle.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

Lauren looked around making sure that everything and everyone they needed was present. When all were accounted for, she looked at Jadis and nodded. The Queen of the White Witches nodded in return and began the procession into the Ritual tent where she hoped Bo, Lulu and Kate awaited. While she hadn't invited Tamsin, when the blonde told her she wanted to apologize to Bo for her actions, Lauren couldn't refuse her. She knew her friend was not in favor of the plot when it was created, so she granted the audience to give her a chance to make peace with what she had said and done to Bo.

The last person into the tent was Selia, which left Lauren standing outside in the cold with Kenzi. She turned to the youngest White Witch,

"You don't feel it anymore, do you?"

"Feel what?" Kenzi asked.

"The cold." Lauren replied.

Kenzi stared at the ground around her before looking up at the blonde and replying, "I hadn't really noticed before, but no, I don't. Do I look that much different?"

"Well, your Cruella Deville streak has multiplied." Lauren smiled, nodding to Kenzi's hair.

The younger Fae replied, "Yea, who knew gray highlights would be a thing?"

Lauren smiled, "You wear them well. Besides, you still have plenty of black hair. It literally looks like someone painted delicate lines of white onto a few strands."

Kenzi laughed, "there's more than that, but it's cool. I mean... I chose this... white hair and all."

"Well, you won't go white overnight." Lauren replied.

Kenzi nodded, "Thank the heavens for small favors, right?"

Lauren gave her a tight smile in response, "So... ready to go in?"

"I'm not the one who has to be ready. Are you ready?" Kenzi asked.

The blonde nodded, "All my life. You don't think this is crazy?"

"Lauren, all of this is crazy... I mean, I'm standing in an alternate plane of existence! Totally cray-cray, sista! But you and Bo? Lauren, you were the first person she talked about to me after we met... and I'm talking about... the first night over soup!"

The blonde smiled, "Really?"

"Really. I didn't get it at first and yes, I was jealous, but... you two are the real deal. Now let's get in there. You're late for your own party idea."

The pair entered the yurt to the sound of silence.

"Whoa. My ritual wasn't half as cool as this ritual." Kenzi offered.

Lauren ducked behind the bamboo curtain inside the doorway and pulled off all of her clothes before retrieving the long white ritual gown from her bag. It was the gown that had birthed her into the world of the White Witches in the fifth of as many rituals as she had endured beginning with her blood rebirth. This gown was the one that had brought forth her full Fae rebirth as a Changeling and would be the one that she wore for any White Witch ritual for the remainder of her days.

Pulling on the gown, she felt the sensation of the warm silken fabric against her naked skin and smiled. It was the final ritual that had allowed her to become a Fae capable of satisfying Bo's Succubus needs. She hadn't really thought about it until this very moment, but if it weren't for that fifth and final ritual, Bo would be feeding from others for the rest of their days together. Unable to be monogamous, would they have survived as a couple?

Lauren zipped up the front of the long white robe, her eyes traveling along the golden trim as the small piece of metal traveled the trail of cloth to the single ruby button at the collar. As she pushed the precious stone through the opening, she smiled a grateful smile. She had resisted becoming Fae, but now she could only be happy. Now, because of the change she had initially resisted, she was everything Bo could ever need to sustain herself.

The blonde let out a nervous breath before putting her clothing back into the small backpack. Opening the outer pocket, she pulled out a small satchel and attached it to the hook at the hip of her robe. She then attached the white sheath over her shoulder and removed the sacred sword she had been given by Jadis herself.

She smiled as memories of her training with Jadis filled her mind as the light from the opening overhead glinted off the blade. She had come full circle with Bo. She was changed – not just in biology, but in purpose as well. She had a family now... a family who loved, respected and accepted her for who and what she was and will become. She had taken a vow to respect and save lives as a physician... and she now accepted the fact that in the coming months, she may have to take lives in order to save lives.

She looked at the ancient writing on either side of the sword blade. She had watched with amazement as two lessons Jadis had emphasized over and over again were emblazoned into the steel by the White Witch's hand. The teachings were by a woman the White Witch had learned from long ago in a foreign land. Lauren translated the teachings of _Lao Ma_ that had been carved into the weapon by Jadis' fire spell,

" _Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage."_

Lauren smiled remembering when Jadis had explained to her that her heart was searching for someone and it would not be whole until that someone was found... someone her heart had always longed for... had waited for since childhood. Jadis had given her the quote to remind her that regardless of whether or not her love for Bo was ever returned, allowing herself to feel that love rather than suppress it would give her the courage to face anything. It was soon after that lesson that Lauren had decided to return to her hometown. As she read the quote now, knowing that Bo sat a short distance away waiting for her and what was to come gave the quote a whole new meaning for the blonde.

Flipping the blade over, she read the second lesson. This lesson was given after Lauren had been in battle for the first time. She'd lost herself to the moment and had almost struck down a teenage boy who had simply been a victim of his violent upbringing. Kate was the one who had stopped her and brought her back from the edge of self-destruction. Lauren had nightmares for weeks after the incident, but Jadis simply reminded her of the teachings of her mentor when a similar thing had happened to her after casting her first spell,

" _To conquer others is to have power, to conquer yourself is to know The Way."_

It was a constant remind her not to lose herself to the power given by a sword... that not all wars were won by violence... sometimes, words could prevent the needless deaths that came from conflict. Unfortunately, she knew all too well that there was no talking to Hades, so death was coming whether they liked it or not.

She sheathed the blade and took a deep breath. Rechecking for the pouch at her hip, she stepped from behind the curtain and moved into the room. She smiled when she saw Lulu pointing at her and whispering to Bo. The Succubus looked up, her face painted with something between frustration and relief before a smile slowly stretched across her face.

Lauren took several quick strides in the brunette's direction, watching her face drop as she walked right past her and up the three steps, stopping at the top to kneel before the three White Witches who were seated before her.

"Mother Jadis, Mother Aspera and Shyla, our Healer, I ask your blessing on my union with the Chosen One, if she'll have me."

Lauren bowed her head and awaited their response. It felt like an eternity as they whispered quietly back and forth, but finally, the silence was broken by the sound of the leader's voice,

"Our blessing is granted."

Lauren raised her eyes to meet Jadis, the elder woman smiling down at her, "Go. Ask your question."

The blonde smiled back as she stood and turned to walk to Bo. She watched as Lulu scrambled out of her arms, then nudged her to go to Lauren. The blonde laughed at the young girl's excitement until her eyes moved towards Bo who looked confused. Lauren felt her stomach drop and her nerves hit her full force. What was she thinking? Bo was never going to agree to this.

She looked around the room to see the anxious faces of all who had gathered for this moment. It seemed as though many more than the ones she had requested had arrived to witness the blonde make a fool of herself.

"Why do I get the feeling that I'm about to be a virgin sacrifice because they should know that ship sailed a very long time ago."

Lauren laughed, "No one is being sacrificed, Bo... especially not you. I mean come on, you're the Chosen One."

"Oh, so I'm they plan to keep me alive until I save the world. Good to know." Bo replied, looking around the room, "What are all of these people doing here, Lo? What's going on? You know I hate surprises."

Lauren nodded, "I know and... well, I'm sorry for... well, the bombshell of a surprise I'm about to drop on you, but... well... you were talking out there and... you sounded so... hopeless and it just broke my heart. Then, when I tried to talk to you, it was like you wouldn't hear me and... well, that sort of... well, honestly, it broke my heart again."

"Lauren, I..."

"No, Bo. Please. Just... hear me out." Lauren took both of Bo's hands in her own, "I lost you years ago... and... I lost myself soon after. For so many years I just... I went through the motions, checking the things I'd always planned to do off of my to do list. Go to college, become a doctor, get away from my parents, make a difference in the world through medicine, help people and... find a way to fall in love with someone else so I could forget about loving you."

She lowered her eyes, gripping Bo's hands tighter before looking back up at her, eyes brimming with tears. Gazing into the brunette's eyes, a few tears slipped slowly down the blonde's cheeks as she spoke,

"But falling in love with someone else turned out to be impossible. I went on dates, had the occasional one night stand, but until Nadia, love eluded me. Finally, I thought maybe I could fall in love." She lowered her eyes, closing them for a moment before she spoke again, "I tried... I swear on my oath as a doctor that I tried, but in the end, I gave my mind to Nadia, but I never really gave her my heart. She was happy, so that made me happy... I thought that was the best it could ever be for me but then..."

She shook her head, a smile breaking out slowly across her face, "... but then I came home and... well, after a bit of a struggle... here you are... here we are."

Bo smiled, "Here I am... here we are."

Lauren nodded, "After my rebirth, Jadis spoke to me... it was a lesson passed down from her mentor to me. She told me that being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply give you courage. My love for you has driven me every day of my life, especially since being taken by the Fae. There were days where I was so tired... and... I just wanted it to be over, but then something would remind me of you and I would get caught up in some memory and before I knew it, the day was over."

"So many times I snuck by your parents house at night under the cover of darkness hoping you would come home for a visit... if only I'd have known you had been enslaved. I would have..."

Lauren smiled, putting a finger over Bo's lips, "It's okay, Bo. I know you would have moved heaven and earth to free me if you would have known, but none of that matters anymore. We're here and together now."

Bo nodded, "So... what are we doing... here?"

Bo asked, pointing to the place where they now stood.

Lauren smiled, "Bo, I want you to have no doubts whatsoever about how I feel about you... about how serious I am about sharing a life with you and Lulu. I want you to know that loving you is the best thing that has ever happened to me and I will never stop. I want you to feel that love and know that no matter who you are, what you do or what happens in this life of ours, I will always be here to love and support you all the way."

She leaned in and kissed Bo on the cheek before she got down on one knee. Looking up at her, she smiled, kissing her hand before she spoke,

"I, Changeling, Lauren Lewis want to spend the rest of my life with you, Succubus, Bo Dennis. We have the blessing of the White Witches and of Lulu. Will you join with me in full Fae marriage?"

Bo's eyes went wide, as she stared down at Lauren, the look of shock scaring the blonde until a smile broke out, her eyes tearing up as she knelt down in front of the blonde and gripped her face gently, yet firmly in both of her hands,

"Yes, I will marry you, Lauren Lewis. Whether Human Doctor, Valkyrie, Changeling or whatever else you might become, I will marry you and love you until the end of time."

Lauren leaned in and kissed Bo hard, trying to push all of the love and happiness she was feeling into her love. She pulled back, gazing into the brunette's eyes for a long moment before she looked past the brunette to Lulu who was smiling excitedly. She waved the youngster up to the base of the stairs, reaching up to hug her tightly when she ran into her arms.

"She said yes!" She said excitedly, turning to Bo, "I knew you would! I knew you would! Come on!"

She gripped each woman by a hand and pulled them back up the three steps before looking up at Jadis,

"Did you hear? She said yes, you gave the blessing, I gave my blessing, we're getting married!"

Everyone laughed as the youngster looked around, "What? What's so funny? Come on you guys! Let's do this!"

"Now?" Bo asked.

Lauren nodded, "Now... I mean... unless you're getting cold feet already."

"No cold feet at all. I just... I don't have a ring for you or anything and... well... I just... you deserve at least a ring from me." Bo replied.

Lauren reached down to the pouch on her hip, "Do you remember that Metals class we had to take in High School?"

Bo watched as the blonde detached the silver pouch from her hip and began untying the silk tie,

"Mrs. Cackleberry or something like that?"

Lauren laughed, "Mrs. Cathelberry."

"I just remember her cackle."

"Thus the nickname. We were cruel kids back then." Lauren gave her an awkward smile before shaking her head, remembering why they were here, "Anyway, do you remember what we made?"

Bo laughed, "I remember running around to all of the kids in the cafeteria..."

"You insisted on doing our metal recycling projects out of soda can tabs, so you had us running around the cafeteria collecting them from every student. Talk about awkward social moments."

"Yea, in hindsight, asking you to do that was pretty... well... I shouldn't have asked you to do that."

"I will say that having to go over to the jock table was not the greatest experience of my life." Lauren closed her eyes, "You said I needed to stand up for myself and show them who was boss."

Bo nodded, "I'm so sorry, Lauren."

Lauren shrugged, "How could you have known it would have turned into target practice for the cafeteria mystery meat."

Bo hung her head, but Lauren lifted her eyes to meet her own, "Hey, it's all in the past now." She chuckled, "Maybe I'll get the guts to go back to that town again. I hear Sam and Charlie work at the local garage. My car could break down and..."

Bo nodded, "You could show them how you've... grown."

The Succubus came out for a moment, her eyes going to the blonde's lips.

"Actually, I was thinking the Changeling could teach them a little lesson or two."

"Careful now... you wouldn't want to go breaking the One Rule that his Ashness told me about... over and over and over again. That guys like a broken record."

Lauren smiled, "So..."

"I'm so sorry, Lauren. Here I am ruining our moment." She ran her fingers gently down Lauren's cheek, "We made the friendship bracelets out of recycled soda can tabs and then we chose the sterling silver project... that was so hard."

Lauren nodded, "We couldn't get the sizing right. They were just a little bit too big, but now that we're older..."

Taking Bo's hand, Lauren gently rotated it so her palm was facing up, and then emptied the contents of the small pouch into Bo's hand. The brunette's eyes went wide at the sight of the shiny metal objects from her childhood,

"The rings." She looked up at Lauren, "You saved them?"

The blonde nodded, "And, assuming you've gained at least a quarter size, they should stay on our fingers now."

Bo smiled, "If not, we can always put them on a chain again like we did in high school."

Lauren chuckled, "No one ever knew what we'd engraved inside the bands."

Bo tipped one of the rings up and smiled, "I still say we should have used the laser engraver."

"And I still say we would have gotten the shit kicked out of us by the mean girls in the class. They were already freaked out because of the 'lesbo' in the class."

"Oh, pa-leeese. They were too afraid of me to mess with you." Bo replied.

"Maybe I'll track them down after I get my car fixed." Lauren deadpanned.

Bo wagged her finger at the blonde, "Hey... with great power..."

Lauren laughed and nodded, "...comes great responsibility. Yea, yea. I know."

She picked up the other ring from Bo's hand, "So, what do you think?"

"Well, the rings say 'forever'... so, shall we get that started?" Bo smiled, offering Lauren her hand.

Lauren smiled, taking the offered hand, "Yes, we shall."

The pair turned and walked up to the base of the first step before Lauren turned to Bo, "We each need two witnesses. I've asked Kate and Selia to be mine. I hope you don't mind, but since this was all a surprise, I've asked Kenzi and Lulu to be yours."

"Selia?" Bo asked, "You barely know her."

Lauren nodded, "I wanted someone who was a part of you to witness for me. I guess in some way, I needed the approval of someone in your life to stand by me and since I knew you'd want Kenzi and Lulu, it just made sense to ask Selia."

Bo smiled and turned back towards Lulu, waving her to them. She knelt down before her child, "So, I guess you know your Momma's getting married, huh?"

Lulu giggled, "Of course I do, Momma. Lauren asked my permission before she did all of this."

The brunette nodded, "Of course she did."

Bo looked up at Lauren and smiled before looking back at Lulu,

"Well, we both need two witnesses for the ceremony and I was wondering if you would like to be one of Lauren's instead of mine. She wants to have someone from my side of the family standing with her."

Lulu nodded, "Sure, Momma. But who will stand up for you?"

"Kenzi and Selia... if that's okay with you."

"Lauren is my best friend... next to Seera of course... so it just makes sense that I stand beside her. Besides, she's gonna be my other Mom now, right?"

Lulu looked up with hopeful eyes at Bo who looked to Lauren,

"How does that work with the Fae?"

"You want me to be Lulu's parent by marriage?" Lauren asked, surprised, but Bo took the statement as hesitation on her girlfriend's part.

Bo shook her head, "Only if you want to. I don't want to pressure you into something you're not ready for, Lo."

The blonde looked down at Lulu who was trying desperately to look as though she were standing still and not eavesdropping on the conversation. Lauren reached out and cupped the young girls' chin and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead,

"This young lady stole my heart the minute she first opened the front door of your cabin. She already feels like she's my daughter."

"I do?" Lulu asked.

Lauren nodded, "Our love of knowledge, science, reading... and our mutual love of your Momma..." she poked Lulu's belly, making her giggle, "... those loves make us kindred spirits, don't you think?"

Lulu scrunched up her face, "What's a kindred spirit?"

Lauren laughed, "You can look it up tonight, but trust me, that's us. I would be honored to be your new Mother, Lulabelle."

Lulu looked at Bo with a big grin on her face, "Did you hear that, Momma? She wants both of us!"

Bo gave her daughter a big hug, then kissed her nose, "I guess we're getting married, Lu."

"Come on!"

The pair watched as Lulu ran up the steps and began her animated speech to Jadis about their conversation. Lauren watched, grateful that despite the fact the ritual was a more serious occasion, the White Witch always allowed the child in Lulu to come before duty.

Lauren turned and waved Kate up the staircase while Bo turned and called to Kenzi and Selia. The other women walked behind Bo and Lauren as they scaled the small staircase to the stone altar where the hand-fastening ritual would be performed followed by the bonding by rings.

Kate took her place to Lauren's left, pulling Lulu gently in front of her. Kenzi and Selia took their places to the right of Bo while the couple to be joined turned towards each other and joined hands. Jadis struck the ground with her staff three times, calling the room of uninvited guests to attention.

She turned to her left and right, begging Shyla and Aspera to either side of her. Looking up beyond the couple, she spoke to the area,

"Sisters, honored guests. So good of all of you to come..." She lowered her voice and mumbled to Bo and Lauren, "...despite not being invited."

The couple laughed as Jadis added, "I can clear the yurt of the curious ones if you'd like."

Lauren looked to Bo who shook her head and laughed, "It's okay... I mean... I get it. It's your land's version of the gossip tabloids. It's not often that a Changeling exists let alone enters into full Fae marriage with The Chosen One."

Jadis nodded, "This does have a bit of fae-ry tale appeal to it, does it not?"

Lauren smiled, "Good one. Well, this has certainly been my fairy tale and it's finally come true."

"And you say I'm the cheesy one." Bo teased the blonde, "But you're right... finally, something good has come out of all of the death, the pain, the conflict and the years of separation."

Bo looked down at their joined hands and then looked up into Lauren's eyes, the weight of the sudden seriousness of the moment apparent. She looked at Jadis,

"Can you just... I'm sorry... can you just give us a minute?"

Jadis nodded in reply as Bo led Lauren off to the side where they could speak privately.

"Bo? Where are we going? Did you change your mind?" Lauren asked, panic on her face.

"No, Lauren... Gods, no. I just..."

Bo closed her eyes, summoning the courage to ask the question she needed to ask. She had to make sure that Lauren was really thinking this whole thing through because in the end, it was Lauren who had everything to lose. It would break her heart, but she loved Lauren unconditionally and had learned a long time ago to love her despite not having her physically present in her life. She needed to make sure that Lauren was really sure,

"Lauren, are you sure about this? I mean... you knew me very well as a child... better than anyone could know another person, I would think..." She exhaled a heavy breath, "...but now, you have only seen brief glimpses of the pain in the ass I've grown to be and you have yet to see me at my worst... especially my Succubus worst. Are you sure about this? I'm not easy to live with, Lauren... and... well, beyond knowing that I will never stop loving you, I can't promise I'll get easier to live with in the future... and Lulu can be really tough at times. She may only be ten, but she's more like a moody teenager most of the time. I just don't want..."

She looked away from Lauren, trying to keep the emotions down, but after several moments, gave up and allowed the tears to fall as she looked back up at the blonde,

"Look... I suck, Lauren and eventually you're going to see me at my suckiest. I'm stubborn, selfish at times and I'm born of the devil himself and a woman who's lost her marbles. I haven't been a very good person in my life and... I've changed since we were kids. I just... Fae marriage, Lauren... from what I've learned in Jadis'... well, for lack of a better title... Fae classes... it's for good. I mean, thank Gods I said no when Rainer suggested it. I didn't really know what it was, but I'd heard people talk, so I... just... Gods, Lauren... this is a really, really big deal and I am no 'catch' by any definition and..."

She shook her head, her eyes moving down again as she struggled to find her words. Lauren stood patiently, learning more and more every moment about the woman she was about to marry. What had they done to her in that mansion all of those years to make her doubt herself so fiercely?

"... if we don't succeed in this war..."

"Bo..."

"No, you have to listen to me, Lauren." The Succubus paused, making sure she had the blonde's attention, "I know everyone wants to believe that we'll defeat my Father's army and he will not return to the earthly realm, but the bottom line is that... well... we _could_ lose. If we lose this battle and I fall under my Father's influence, who knows what I'll become? He created me to control me... he has a plan, Lauren. What if he wins? You will have married a monster and will never be able to marry again. If Jadis is right about the lifespan of a Changeling, that would be an awfully long time to carry around the weight of a ring you can never remove despite falling in love with another after I've failed you and the world."

Lauren reached up and gently took Bo's face in her hands, thumbing away the tears from the brunette's face. She looked into her eyes, reflecting all of the strength she knew was in their love,

"I know we've only reunited for a short time, but Bo... but if I was going to fall in love with another woman, don't you think it would have happened by now?" Lauren asked.

"You really seemed to love Nadia... if you had been allowed to live your life as a normal Human, you two would have been happy... hell, you'd probably have babies running around by now."

"Babies can't run."

"A technicality."

"Bo, I told you... I was with Nadia and gave her everything I had to give... but I could never give her my all."

"You don't know that."

"I do know that, Bo. I gave her everything I had to give, but the one thing I was not free to give her was my heart. That is the one thing that had always... will always... belong to you." Lauren smiled, "Before I met Nadia, a friend of mine convinced me to finally make the decision to come out and live as the real me for everyone to see. She was in my study group and she had noticed I had been unusually quiet for several weeks. We talked for a short while and what she said holds true right here and now... she said..."

" _...You can't help who you love, Lauren... you just do you and let everyone else do them. If that means they're going to treat you like shit because of who you love, then they're just being true to themselves... they're being the assholes that they truly are... just hope those assholes are never on my operating room table..."_

Bo smiled, as Lauren continued,

"I love you, Bo Dennis. I can't help loving you... I tried, believe me... but..."

"Nothing worked."

Lauren nodded.

"I had the same problem with Rainer."

They stood holding hands, staring at each other for a long while before Lulu pushed her way between the two of them,

"Are we doing this or not? I'm getting impatient and you know how much you hate when I lose my patients."

Lauren smiled, "I have patients. You have patience."

"Yea, well I'm running out of it." Lulu placed her hands firmly on her hips.

Bo and Lauren looked down at the little girl, her Momma tweaking her nose before she looked back at the blonde. She saw nothing but hope in Lauren's eyes,

"I have never been able to say no to my Lolo. Why would I start now?" She looked at Lulu, "Yes, we're definitely doing this!"

Lulu jumped up and down and ran back to her spot next to the others while Lauren smiled, leaning in and kissing Bo firmly on the lips. When she pulled back, the grin that stretched across her face made Bo smiled, her heart filling with love,

"Come on, Doctor... let's get hitched."

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

The two blondes walked along the water's edge. Their pace was slow, each one seemingly enjoying the crisp ocean air on their face.

"You're quiet."

"I'm nervous."

"You? Nervous? Never!"

"This... letting myself feel thing... I feel so... awkward."

"Tamsin, you are anything but awkward. You are the confident, steady, sarcastic woman I've loved for several lifetimes."

The blonde stopped, "Kate, I'm not the same person I was our first time around."

Kate turned, throwing her hands up in the air, "Do you think I don't know that? Do you think I am not fully aware of the battle you will have to fight within yourself for us to be together again? Do you think I haven't watched you treat your heart like an enemy you had to defeat? Well, here's a newsflash, Tamsin. Our love is not and never has been a war to be won or lost. It just is. It exists purely and simply because we exist for each other... to love each other... or fight with each other or anything else we choose to be. I will not engage in a battle with you over your heart, Tamsin. You're either in this or you're not."

Tamsin turned towards the other blonde, "So you think it's my intention to keep us apart?"

"No, I think you've become well-practiced in suppressing your feelings for me and you're trying to point out all of the bad things about you so I'll make it easy for you."

"Easy for me?"

"Yes, easy for you! If I walk away you can go back to smothering your feelings for me and in your mind, I think you'll consider it a victory that you've put your love for me back in that tiny box you call a heart! And when you've won the battle and you're walking alone on this beach, I wonder how sweet the victory will be?"

"Kate, I..."

The Valkyrie spread her wings and took a few steps back to camp before one strong downward flap lifted her into the air,

"Kate! WAIT! KATE!"

Tamsin sighed, "Fuck."

She picked up a shell and spun it out into the open ocean, her face twisting with anger as her hands balled into fists,

"FUUUUUUCK!"

She sat down hard in the sand, cursing Poseidon and all of the Gods for the feelings she had for the other Valkyrie, until she heard rustling in the brush behind her. She turned drawing her sword before sighing in relief when Kenzi emerged from beyond the dune,

"Kenzi! Don't sneak up on me like that!"

"Sneak? I wasn't sneaking, I was surviving! Take the shortcut, she said! Just walk straight and you'll run right into the ocean, she said! Did she mention that I'd be walking through plants that were twice my size or that there would be snakes? SNAKES! I hate snakes!"

Tamsin shook her head, before sheathing her sword and sitting back down in the sand. Company was the last thing she needed right now... especially Bo's best friend.

"So... what are you doing out here? Where's Kate? Everyone said the two of you went for a walk."

Tamsin nodded, throwing a small stone into the water, "It just didn't end with us together."

"Whadidyoudo now?"

Tamsin looked at the younger girl, "Why do you assume it was me?"

"Because Kate is a daggone saint. You, on the other hand, make everything a war."

"I do not!"

"You do too!"

"Do not!"

"See? You're doing it right now instead of thinking about what I just said. You don't think, Tamsin."

"I have a brain, so I'm pretty sure I think."

"No, thinking involves spending time with a thought before you just deny the accusation... i.e., you therefore think, ponder, contemplate, meditate, marinate, deliberate, consider..."

"Alright! Alright! I get it! Geez!" Tamsin blew out a frustrated breath.

"So what did you do?"

"Honestly, it all happened so fast, I have no idea. She got pissed and flew off."

Kenzi chuckled.

"What's so funny?"

"Oh, nothing. It's just... well, you Valkyrie fly off when you get mad. We Humans, we storm off, or stomp off, or run off or walk away... it's funny to hear of someone flying off."

"You know, you should stop calling yourself Human. You're not, you know."

Kenzi shook her head, "Correction... as Brittany Spears once said, I just an Apprentice, not yet a White Witch."

"Brittany Spears said that, huh?"

"Same analogy."

"Nah."

"Sure it is... look, if you..."

"Kenzi. I'm not really in the mood for talking about Brittany Spears. My life just turned to shit in under ten seconds and I don't know why. I don't know why I always sabotage my relationship with Kate!"

"Fear."

"I am not afraid."

"Okay, so I'm just going to suggest that you think... contemplate... ponder, etc... all of my suggestions for thirty seconds before you say anything. Fear is what's causing you to push her away."

"I am NOT..."

"Da, da, da... your thirty seconds starts now... one-one thousand, two-one thousand, three one-thousand..."

Tamsin sat staring at the younger girl as she counted, watching as Kenzi crossed her arms over her chest, signaling she expected Tamsin to think about what she'd said. The blonde sighed and began thinking about it, while Kenzi restarted the 30-second count.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

"Bo, it is not safe and that's final!"

"But Jadis, you cannot expect that Lauren and I would not take a honeymoon! It's just three days!"

"I don't expect you to not take one, Ysabeau. I just don't expect you to take one back on Earth. There are many places to travel where the two of you can consummate your marriage."

"But I can't fly a horse and I don't know where those places are! You've gotta work with me here!" Bo argued.

"Ysabeau, Lauren is a Changeling who has all of the attributes of a Valkyrie and always will. She and Aurora can fly you anywhere you want to go."

Bo frowned, "But I can't surprise her then."

"I see. So this is about you giving your new bride the gift of a honeymoon." Jadis smiled.

"Yes! You sent her off to a training camp less than twenty-four hours after we said I do!"

"You never said, I do, dear. We don't use such language in our ceremonies."

"Whatever! You know what I mean! I haven't seen my wife since the day after we committed to full Fae marriage! I want to see my wife and Lulu wants to see her new Mom!"

Bo's head snapped around when she heard a familiar voice,

"Well, they're right here, so turn and around and see us."

Bo took a breath at the sight of Lauren and her daughter, Lulu naturally running and jumping into her strong arms.

"You know, you're really getting very heavy for me to catch."

Lulu shrugged, "I'm still under the required height for holding. You're Fae, you're strong enough... besides... are you calling me fat?"

Bo laughed, "Of course, not Lu." She looked up at Lauren, "You're back."

"Only long enough to pick you up. Say goodbye to your daughter. You won't be seeing her for a few days."

Bo's face melted into panic, "What? Where is she going? Who..."

"Relax, Momma. I'm not going anywhere, but you are!" She gave Bo a devilish grin before high-fiving Lauren, "Give me a big goodbye hug. Kenzi and I packed your backpack. You have everything a Succubus could need for their honeymoon."

Lulu giggled and high-fived Lauren again who shook her head and looked at Jadis, "Thank you, Mother."

Bo turned to look at the White Witch, who was grinning victoriously at the younger Fae, "So, you didn't send Lauren to a training camp with other Changelings?"

Jadis shook her head, "I sent your wife to make arrangements for your honeymoon in a safe land for three days. You're welcome. Now, say your good-byes and go with your wife. You have little time before your first reservation, by the looks of it."

Bo turned to see Lauren swaying nervously back and forth, "She's right, Bo. I don't want to have to push Aurora any harder than I have to. Lulu is all set with Dara, Kenzi, Jadis, Kate and Tamsin."

"Go on, Momma! Have lots of fun and bring me back stories... well, not the Succubus ones... the G-rated ones!"

Bo gave her daughter a hug before putting her down to stand, "You listen to your elders, Lu. I don't want to hear any negative reports when I get back. Work hard and make sure you focus when you're doing that White Witch vanishing thing. I don't want to get back and find out that you landed on Mars."

Lulu laughed, "Whoa. That would be really bad!"

"Yes, it would be."

"You're the most precious thing in the world to me, Lu. I love you so damn much." Bo hugged her daughter again, "You're the best part of me and the best thing I've ever done in my life. Be good, be strong and take care of yourself."

Lulu nodded, "I love you too, Momma. I'll be fine. I promise. I'll think before I act and I'll obey the rules."

Bo stood, "It's always hard leaving you, Lu."

"It's always hard when you leave, Momma... but we'll see each other again soon."

"Yes we will."

Lulu gave Bo one last hug before turning to Lauren, "Take care of our Succubus."

Lauren motioned an X over her heart, "Cross my heart. Love you, Lulu."

"Love you, Lolo." She replied, before hanging her head.

"Hey, what's wrong, Lu?" Lauren asked.

Lulu sighed, her eyes filling with water as tears began to trickle down her cheeks, "I know I said I was okay with you guys going, but that was before."

Bo and Lauren knelt down on either side of the little one, Lauren asking,

"Before what, Lu?"

She looked up at Lauren and the sight almost broke her heart, "Oh, Lu."

"It was before I knew how much I was going to love you being my other Mom. I don't want either of you to go now that we're a family, but I also want Momma to have the big surprise. She's always been taking care of me and fighting to save me from the Hunters. Momma deserves happy time. I'll be okay."

"We're staying." Bo replied and Lauren instantly nodded in agreement.

Lulu wiped her tears away and put on a brave face, "Wow. You guys are really bad at this parenting thing. You're not supposed to cave when the kid cries. You're supposed to teach them to be strong and resistant... I mean, resitent or..."

"You mean resilient?" Lauren asked.

"That's it! I have to be that or I won't be ready to bounce back from other bad stuff that happens in my life. You guys should go. It's the good parent thing to do. Besides, maybe you'll feel bad leaving me behind and you'll bring me a present!"

Bo and Lauren laughed, pulling Lulu into a hug. When they pulled back, Bo spoke first,

"Lu, are you sure you don't want us to stay? We can go stay in the shack on the beach. It's far enough away for us to enjoy some alone time, but close enough that we're here if you need us."

"Momma, it's snowy here. You need to go somewhere you can be in the sun. I read that the sun is good for your moods and you've been really moody lately. It'll be good for all of us."

Bo and Lauren raised their eyebrows at the little girls' comment, "Good for all of us, huh? Bo asked.

"I read it. Absence makes the heart grow fonder."

Bo smiled, looking at Lauren, "How true."

Lauren blushed before turning back to Lulu, "Okay then. You're okay with us leaving now to keep that reservation then?"

Lulu nodded, "I'll be fine. A little sad, but once I get back to my lessons, I'll be fine. Besides, I'm half way through the Changeling book and I wanna finish it before you guys get back."

Lauren nodded, "Okay, but remember – I get to read that one next."

Lulu smiled, "Right. Book swap."

With another group hug and a kiss from each Mom, the newly married couple stood, staring down at their daughter,

"We love you, Lulabelle."

"I love you guys too." Lulu replied, "Have fun."

Bo took Lauren's hand and walked towards the exit while Lulu moved closer to the Witch, leaning into her side, while Jadis draped a comforting arm over the faebling's shoulder. The couple paused and looked back, Bo blowing a kiss to her daughter and Lauren giving the little girl a wave.

"I wish I could go." Lulu said quietly watching them depart the yurt.

Jadis nodded, "I know, child. Honestly, I wish I could go as well. Your Moms are going to a magical and beautiful land. Some day, we'll make sure you go there."

"If I pass my telekinesis test tomorrow, can I go then?"

Jadis smiled. Apparently, Ysabeau had never defined the words 'some day' to her daughter, "We'll see, Child. We'll see."

"Better than a 'no', I guess." Lulu responded, slightly dejected as she turned and walked away.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

They had been in flight for less than thirty minutes by Lauren's best estimate. It had only taken about five minutes for Bo to go into her Succubus trance as they entered the aurora. While she was nervous about her wife's current state, she also wasn't as worried as she'd been the first time she'd seen this. She knew what to expect once they emerged into normal space, but her bigger concern was that they would be in normal space for another thirty minutes before they landed.

Regardless, she saw her entry point and turned Aurora out of the current, descending into whatever awaited her with her wife.

"Bo, I don't know if you can hear or understand me right now, but you'll need to tighten your hold on me. This will get a bit bumpy as we break out of the electromagnetic field."

Lauren looked over her shoulder to see her wife's eyes blazing blue, her tongue tracing over her lips and a small grin breaking across her face as she looked at the blonde like she was a big, juicy steak.

"BO! Hold me tighter!"

"Mmmm... certainly, Doctor."

Bo gripped Lauren's waist tightly and pulled her hard against her body before she began moving against her from behind.

"Bo..."

"Mmmm... wife..."

Lauren swallowed hard, trying to refocus on the upcoming breach of the barrier. She could feel Aurora battling her on the reins. Her steed knew she was distracted,

"Easy, Rora..." She slapped the reins hard and turned into the next stream, "Hold on, Bo!"

"Mmmm... I wouldn't let go now if you begged me to."

Bo pulled her tighter, bucking harder against her ass as Lauren gritted her teeth, "Come on, Bo! This is not the time for this! It's dangerous!"

The Succubus leaned forward and whispered in the blonde's ear, "Danger is my middle name, baby and there's always time for us."

"Bo... shit... hang on!"

Lauren tightened her grip on the rein as transition hit Aurora, the force of the gravitational pull lurching her backward before they rushed forward. Suddenly, Lauren no longer felt Bo's grip around her waist. Turning around, she saw an empty saddle,

"BO! Oh Gods! BO!"

She gripped the reins, turning Aurora back searching the darkness for any sign of her wife, when Aurora let out a whinny and dove straight down. Lauren squeezed the reins and her legs, holding on while she scanned the blackness for any sign of Bo. Finally, she saw two small blue lights and realized it was her wife.

She pushed Aurora hard. Leaning into the dive, she trusted her Pegasus to save the love of her life.

"Go get her, Rora... let's save our girl." She whispered, as they moved ever closer to Bo.

Lauren kept her eye on the target as they approached. She wrapped the left rein around her wrist and leaned out off the side of her saddle, extending her right arm to grab her wife,

"BO! Grab my hand!"

Just a few feet away, she could see her wife laughing hysterically and yelling, "We're falling, we're falling! Ahaaaa! We're falling! We're all gonna die! Hahahaha!"

Lauren rolled her eyes, whispering to Aurora, "Okay, girl. She's not going to be helping us. Get me close."

She tugged the rein to the right just as she got to Bo, their bodies hit hard, but Lauren's grip around her wife's torso was sure and strong. Having no other choice, she pulled her up in front of her, inserting her into the seat sidesaddle before turning back towards their destination.

"Mmmm... my hero deserves a reward for that." Bo pulled Lauren into a heated kiss, the blonde's eyes going wide, her hands barely hanging onto the reins.

Aurora gave a quick kick, pulling the blonde from the moment, "Sorry, girl. Bo, you've got to let me drive."

"She knows the way."

"No, Bo. She doesn't. I barely know the way. We can get lost out here among the stars."

"Sounds romantic," Bo replied, kissing and sucking on Lauren's neck.

The blonde never wanted to threaten her wife with her daughter, but the reality was that she was struggling to recognize the constellations right now and needed to focus or they would be lost in the endless sea of darkness that was space. She took a chance,

"Does never seeing Lulu ever again sound romantic to you?"

Bo pulled back, her eyes blazing blue, "Lulu."

"Yes, Lulu. Our daughter, Bo. If we get lost, we will never get back to her. Think of Lulu, Bo. Think of what would happen to her without us."

"Lulu." Bo repeated, her eyes dimming before turning brown, "Lauren?"

"Well, that's promising. It didn't take as long for you to come back to me after leaving the Aurora."

"What were you saying about Lulu?"

Lauren shook her head, "In a minute. Right now, I need you to climb behind me so I can see where the hell we are before we get lost."

Bo looked around, "How in the hell did I get in front of you? Whoa!"

Lauren caught her wife who hadn't realized she was sitting side saddle. She helped Bo maneuver around her before the Succubus pressed for information once again,

"Lauren, what happened?"

"Your favorite drug happened again and you went full Succubus... and I mean sexy Succubus. You got a little... horny and... distracted and... well, you fell off of Aurora when we hit the breach. Thankfully, Aurora spotted your baby blues glowing in the darkness and dove to save you, but... well, you were less than cooperative in my rescue attempt. The best I could do was pull you onto the saddle in front of me."

"What happened to Lulu?"

Lauren shook her head, "I'm sorry, Bo but... well, I needed something to snap you out of your haze. I told you that if we got lost, Lulu would grow up without us. It worked and now you're sitting where you belong and I'm really trying to focus on finding the appropriate constellation in this realm."

Sitting behind her wife, Lauren couldn't see the worry that overcame Bo's features, "So...we're really lost? I'm so sorry... I... I couldn't control it... I... shit! Lulu... she..."

"Bo, I need you to stay calm. I'm looking for a very specific constellation in this realm. It's called Ilios, which is the Greek word for sun. It was named that because of the formation's likeness to... well, any planet's sun. It's the largest and brightest star in the north and has seven very small stars in a perfect circle around it. Do you see it?"

Bo scanned the numerous tiny white dots that were now visible against the blackness, "I... I can't see... they're all small."

"Ignore anything small and look for only the big ones." Lauren replied before whispering to Aurora, "Boreas, girl... boreas."

"What does that mean?" Bo asked.

"North or north wind... I want to make sure we're going in the correct direction."

Lauren smiled as Aurora turned them about forty-five degrees to Lauren's right. As they came out of the turn, she heard Bo call out,

"THERE! There it is! That's it, right?"

Lauren smiled, "That's it, sweetie. Good eyes. We'll have you riding a Pegasus yet."

Bo chuckled, "I think riding shotgun is enough for me. Apparently, I have trouble staying in the saddle."

Lauren looked over her shoulder, "Well, we could always give you a seatbelt and GPS."

"They have GPS for a Pegasus?"

Lauren laughed, "I was kidding, Izzy. Unfortunately, it's all navigation by slipstreams, gravity waves, and constellations. It took me two tries to pass my constellation exams."

"Wow, you mean Lauren Lewis met a test she couldn't beat?"

"I know. I was devastated. I'd never failed a test in my life."

Bo smiled, "Then being Fae is good for you. You always liked a good challenge."

Lauren fell silent as she pondered Bo's comment. She really hadn't had time to continue dealing with her thoughts of losing her humanity. If she was being honest with herself, she really didn't know how she felt about being Fae other than the fact that she wouldn't have to watch Bo feed from others or live alone because she would die much sooner than a Fae.

"Lolo?"

Shaking out her thoughts, the blonde replied, "Sorry, Izzy. I'm here. I was just... thinking."

"Well, what do you say you rest that big brain of yours for a while and just enjoy the view."

"It is beautiful, isn't it." Lauren asked.

Bo leaned forward, laying her head on Lauren's shoulder, "It is. I'm sorry I haven't been able to control my Succubus long enough to see it before this. I must have really missed out on the beauty of the Aurora, seeing as you named your Pegasus after it."

Laughing at Aurora's reply, Bo sighed before whispering, "I'm so sorry I couldn't control my Succubus again. I could have gotten us lost or worse. I just... you must really be re-thinking your decision to marry me."

Lauren reached back and gripped the back of Bo's head, placing a kiss above her brows, "I will never regret marrying you, Bo. This is my dream and I'm getting to live it. Granted, the dream back then was that we were both Human. Who'd have thought we would now both turn out to be part of a super human species about to go to war with the devil himself?"

Bo could sense that the slight bout of laughter that followed Lauren's comment wasn't sincere. She wanted to get all of the deep stuff out of the way before they arrived at wherever it was they were going,

"Lauren? Do you regret becoming Fae? I mean... I don't really know a whole lot about that time of your life when this all began, but... I mean... wouldn't you rather be Fae than... dead? I... I would have been devastated to learn you had died."

The blonde joined the two reins together, loosening her hold on Aurora so she could turn around slightly in the saddle. She placed a hand on Bo's thigh and gave it a gentle squeeze,

"You want honesty or the answer you prefer to hear?"

Bo's face dropped as she closed her eyes and shook her head, "I always want you to be honest."

"You have to remember that at the time, I'd been a slave to the Fae for five years. I'd endured torture, confinement to a dungeon, food and water deprivation... my life wasn't pretty, Bo and there were times, particularly after Nadia's death, that I wanted death... I begged for death to come and take me from my miserable existence."

Bo looked up, "And now?"

Lauren smiled, "Now, I'm grateful to be alive and, while I haven't yet reconciled myself to my existence as a Fae rather than Human, it's allowing me to live my life long dream as your wife... with the added bonus of a daughter to boot!"

"I'm sorry they took your Humanity from you, Lauren. But if I'm being perfectly honest, I'm grateful to Tamsin for taking you to the White Witches. Since I've been in their realm, I've learned so much... I've learned that giving up her blood was a really big deal for Tamsin... or any Valkyrie for that matter."

Lauren nodded, "It was and... well... it seems as though everything worked out as it was meant to."

"Do you really believe that?"

"Believe what?"

"That we were meant to be... like... destined or whatever?"

Lauren shrugged, "If you're asking me if I believe in fate, I never did before... especially when I was in Afghanistan. I couldn't believe anyone was fated to die in a war. If anything, that was a Human changing a person's fate by believing they were some sort of God with rights over life and death."

"And now?"

"Now... well, knowing our history... how we began, how we parted, how we've come back together with me being capable of meeting all of your needs... not to mention that big 'ole prophecy... I believe we were destined for each other. Beyond that, I think it's up to us."

"So does that mean you're okay with being Fae now?" Bo asked.

Lauren kissed Bo on the cheek before righting herself in the saddle once more and taking the reins in her hands,

"Okay with it? It just is, Bo. I have to learn to accept it because it is who I am now. Do I miss my Humanity? Yes, but... well, I guess what I'm trying to reconcile inside myself is my definition of the word Humanity. I now believe it has more to do with what you do... what moral standards you maintain rather than what's in your DNA."

Bo smiled and wrapped her arms tightly around Lauren, kissing her on the neck, "I like that definition."

"You do?" Lauren smiled, leaning back into Bo.

The Succubus nodded, "Yes, because then it means that I was right as a kid."

"Right about what?"

"That I have always been Human at heart despite that I was pretty sure I'd be different because my parents were freaks."

"Your parents were Fae."

"Yea, but I didn't know that when we were kids. I just thought they were freaks." Bo chuckled, "At one point, I thought my Dad was a Vampire and my Mom was an Alien. I looked them up in the library, trying to figure out what they were. When they finally told me, I had so many questions and then suddenly, there was no one to answer them... until Rainer came along and sort of forced their hand."

"I'm sorry you were raised in the dark about who you were, Bo. No one should grow up not knowing who they really are let alone how to control what's inside of them."

Bo sighed placing her head on Lauren's shoulder, "I love you, Lolobug."

"I love you, Izzybear."

"Are we there yet?" Bo asked.

Lauren chuckled, "Soon, sweetie. Very soon."

 _ **XXXXXXXXXX**_


	8. Chapter 8: Love Forges An Army

**A/N: Hi everyone. Sorry for the long overdue chapter, but have had lots going on that kept me from writing. So I'm back on the proverbial horse, but feeling quite rusty. Just want to thank** **KZ and M-Pack for the ongoing support and chats. Life isn't always kind, so it's nice to know there are people kind enough to help us over the rough patches life throws at us.**

 **Now, let's all go to our happy place... the Doccubus universe can work miracles.**

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 **Chapter 8: Love Forges An Army**

Lauren laughed at the mumbling coming from behind her. It had been almost an hour since she had told Bo they would be there soon. She hated to lie to her new wife when they had barely taken their vows a day ago by the clock of this universe, but she knew that Bo was getting antsy thanks to the extra chi she had absorbed. She needed to do something to appease her and given their current location, a little exaggeration of time was acceptable in her mind. She knew she was rationalizing, but an angry and frustrated Succubus was not something she needed right now. Aurora would not take kindly to private time happening on her back.

It was quiet now... a feeling Lauren had not had in quite some time. If she were honest, it felt... good. She needed some alone time to work through all of the changes that were happening in her life at a break-neck pace, but she just couldn't get it. Here, with Bo's arms wrapped around her, the Pegasus who could calm her on even her worst day and the surrounding view she finally felt a sense of peace she hadn't had... well... in forever... that she could remember, anyway.

She searched her heart for answers and found that the family she now had was a solution to a sense of belonging she had been missing in her life. Her work with the Fae and this new task of fighting the greatest threat the world had ever known fulfilled a sense of purpose greater than herself.

Her love life was everything she had ever dreamed of considering Bo was still so very much the same as she was when they were kids, yet held so many more attributes as a woman. She was funny, smart and brave... well, she was actually fierce, yet she was still the defender of the innocent. She also remained the stubborn, impulsive girl Lauren had known when they were teenagers. All of those characteristics, plus the addition of what a terrific mother she was to Lulu made her irresistible. Of course, she was also flat out gorgeous. Her eyes were still the dark pools of chocolate she remembered... well, unless her Succubus came out to play. Her teenage body had certainly... bloomed. The curves, the voluptuous breasts, the full lips, the long lean neck, the muscular limbs, broad hips and the long dip of her low back that led to a firm round buttocks were...

"Aaahhemm..." Lauren cleared her throat and shook out her thoughts. Amping up her sexual energy with a Succubus at her back would not help matters any. She looked over her shoulder to see her Izzy was still fast asleep. Leaning back slightly to feel more contact, she smiled when she felt her wife tighten her hold. Turning back to look out across the sky, Lauren turned her thoughts to all of the changes that had taken place in the last few years... particularly the most recent ones.

The whole Fae thing was something Lauren was still getting used to... for herself and having a Fae partner. She was getting used to the blue eyes. She had to admit that she had been slightly taken aback by the first sight of them, but now she knew how to talk to Bo when her Fae came out to play... or fight.

She smiled as she thought of Bo's voice... it was like music to her ears... and her body... well, if Lauren had her way, her hands would be exploring the creamy silk beneath Bo's clothing every moment of every day. Feeling the sculpted musculature beneath the warm soft flesh... well, just thinking about it did something to Lauren that never happened with Nadia or anyone else.

Yes, her girlfriend was an irresistible force to be reckoned with and Lauren could not wait to start their honeymoon. The things Bo could do to her and the things she wanted to do to Bo... she had to believe she had the best sex life of any creature on the planet... maybe the universe... and her breasts... Gods those breasts were divine.

Lauren bit her lip as she realized they would finally have alone time to be fully naked and not worry about who was nearby. She should have packed toys. Did Bo like toys? Did she? Actually, Lauren didn't know. What made her think of toys? She'd never used any. Sure, Nadia had suggested it, but then the Fae had come and... _the_ Fae... they weren't just _the_ Fae anymore, were they?

For the first time, Lauren had caught herself speaking of the Fae as if she wasn't one of them now. She sighed, realizing this was still something that remained unresolved somewhere inside her very being. She hated the Fae for what they did to Nadia. She hated the Fae for enslaving her, keeping her locked up for years and then using her for political posturing when her knowledge and skills became useful. She hated the Fae for locking Lulu in that cage and she hated them for making Bo go through that trial while Lulu was forced to watch. She hated them for their denial of what was coming and that Bo was the one that could save them all. Still, here she was... one of them. She was... she was... she shook her head,

"Gods, I can't even say it!" She scolded herself, "Say the word, Lauren. Say it."

Dropping a hand from the reins, she ran her finger through her hair, flipping the long blonde locks from her face before re-gripping the reins and taking a deep breath. She closed her eyes and breathed out, her shoulders stiffening as she tested the phrase first in her mind,

' _I am Fae.'_

She repeated to herself, _'I am Fae.'_

Again, _'I am Fae.'_

Her eyes filled with tears as she whispered softly, "I'm... I'm..."

She heaved in a breath as the tears fell, her heart clenched as she tried again to finally give voice to the truth of the reborn Lauren Lewis,

"I am... I'm... I'm..." Her shoulders slumped as she leaned forward onto her beloved steed, her heart and mind yielding to her reality. Here in the darkness, as her lover slept quietly behind her, Lauren Lewis cried freely for the first time over her lost Humanity,

This wasn't who she was supposed to be. She was to be a doctor... a human doctor. She had dreamed of saving lives, not taking them. Memories came freely, pummeling her senses. She had killed. She had killed more than once. She had thrust a sword into flesh and watched as the life drained from the face of another being. Once they'd slumped to the ground, she hadn't even tried to save them... she hadn't even thought to try. She cried harder. She wept for the loss of lives at her own hands... of her identity... of the life she'd dreamed of and lost.

She felt Bo move behind her... Bo... her Izzy... for all she'd lost, this was the most precious gift she had gained... a beautiful wife and child. Shaking off the tears, she felt years of anger, fear and sadness turn into something else... something better. Breathing in the scent of her newly wedded wife, she gathered all of her strength... all of her love for Izzy and Lulu as she thought to herself,

 _I am Fae_.

She repeated the phrase, _I am Fae_.

Again, _I am Fae_.

She swallowed back her tears, wiping them from her face before she softly whispered,

"I am... I'm... I am a..." She sighed, her shoulders sagging, before she shook her head and took a cleansing breath. Summoning all of her courage, she whispered,

"I'm... I'm Fae. I'm... I'm Fae." Her shoulders slumped, as she finally gave voice to her truth, "I'm a fucking Fae."

Just as tears threatened to fall once more, she felt Bo move against her back, then felt strong arms tighten around her torso. A few tears escaped, but she wiped them away before looking back over her shoulder just in time to see one of the brunette's eyes pop open. It was adorable and gave Lauren cause to smile as she leaned back into her wife, her prior thoughts melting away. Regardless of what she was now, this dream had come true... a life with her Izzy. Being Fae would make it a long life and that felt good... more than good, it felt right. She swallowed hard and found her voice,

"Hey there, sleepyhead."

"Hey." Bo replied, "You okay?"

"Hmm?"

Bo straightened up, "Are you okay? You sound a little... upset."

Reaching down to grip Bo's hands she wrapped them back around her waist and smiled over her shoulder,

"I'm fine. I'm just... working through some of that stuff in my head. I'm fine as long as your arms are wrapped around me."

"Well, then I guess we'll be spending an awful lot of contact time on this honeymoon of ours."

Lauren chuckled as Bo kissed up her neck before whispering in her ear, "Seriously, are you okay?"

She nodded, "I am, Bo. I just want to stay focused on you... on us. Okay?"

Bo nodded, "Okay, but when you're ready to talk, you just say the word. I'm your wife now, Lauren. Your problems become my problems by default, so let's not let things fester that should be on the table."

Lauren smiled, "Wow. Did Lulu read a book on relationship therapy?"

Bo shrugged, "The truth is, _our_ daughter did give me a book on that very subject about a month ago."

"She really did?"

Sighing, Bo admitted, "Yes. She said I suck at relationships and that you would never think we... I... was capable of being your monogamous partner in life unless I read the book and made some changes."

Lauren burst out laughing, "And you actually read it?"

"Every word. I wasn't taking any chances." Bo replied.

Lauren saw the seriousness on the brunette's face and her heart about melted,

"You are even more adorable than I had initially believed. What was the name of the book?"

" _Perfect Partners_... well, actually the first one she gave me was called _At Last, The Perfect Partner_ and the dude wanted me to make a list of 50 things I wanted in a relationship before I could even start dating you. There was no way I was doing that."

"You mean you can't find 50 things about me that are on your 'want' list?"

Shit.

"No... I mean... I... what I meant was that... well..."

Lauren laughed, "Bo, it's okay. I knew what you meant. I don't think we would have thought about each other after a year of being apart if there weren't at least 50 things we shared that kept that fire burning."

"Yea... that's what I meant." Bo smiled proudly.

"So, did you bring this book with you?" Lauren asked.

Bo scowled, "Of course not! We're married now."

"Oh, so you can stop trying?" Lauren poked.

Shaking her head, she smiled, "Wow. I'm just stepping right in it tonight, aren't I?"

Chuckling, the blonde replied, "Sorry. It was there, I had to go for it."

"Ha. Ha. Well, I didn't bring the book because you would only let me pack that little bag. It's one of those ancient Fae texts from Lulu's school library so it's thick, moldy, leathery and massive."

"The Fae wrote a book on relationships?" Lauren laughed.

Bo shrugged, "Well, I guess since they live so long, it's a bit tougher to stay together until death do you part, don't you think?"

Lauren shrugged, "That's a good point, I suppose."

"Did you know the Fae don't allow divorce for a thousand years?" Bo asked.

"Your sense of humor needs some work, sweetie."

"That wasn't a joke." Bo replied.

"Really?" Lauren asked.

"Really. Why, are you worried?" Bo asked.

"No. I guess I'm just... surprised."

"Why?"

"Well, I've never really thought of the Fae as relationship types." Lauren replied.

Bo frowned, "Does that include me?"

"No, Bo..."

"Well, I'm Fae. Do you think I can't be monogamous?"

"Bo, I'm well aware of your needs and..."

"No, I fully intend to be monogamous, Lauren. How could you think..."

"Bo, I'm a doctor. I understand your biological needs and..."

Lauren felt her wife's arms drop away from her waist and looked over her shoulder to see Bo looking down, a scowl firmly planted on her face,

"I will not be defined by my biology. I am fully and completely in love with you. I am fully and completely committed to you and this marriage. I am monogamous. I will be monogamous."

Lauren sighed as sadness filled her heart at the sight of worry that fell over her beloved Succubus' face. She threw one leg over her saddle, quickly attached the safety clip to Aurora's harness before turning the rest of the way around to face Bo,

"I need you to listen to me, Izzy."

When the brunette didn't look up, Lauren gently placed her hand on the soft skin of her wife's chin and guided her eyes up to her own,

"Izzy. My beloved Izzy. My wife, my lover, my heart, my life... you are the most important thing in my universe. You and Lulu are everything to me. Your heart and your health are my number one priority among any other needs I might have. If you don't feed, you will become weak and vulnerable to your... our... enemies and..."

"No, I will not..."

"Bo, hear me out, please." Lauren gripped her lover's face more firmly, forcing her to maintain eye contact, "I will always make sure you are well fed, sweetie... and I will most certainly enjoy that particular wifely duty, but I need you to understand that if we are ever separated for a time, I will expect that you will do whatever you have to do to find your way back to me."

Bo shook her head, but Lauren was insistent, "Bo, if we were Human or you were any other type of Fae, I would expect that we would have a traditional relationship and if that were the case, I would dump your ass if you so much as looked at another woman. However, we are not Human and you are not any other Fae, so if we should be apart, I would expect you to do what you must to stay alive, Bo."

The pair looked down at their joined hands for a long moment before Lauren, "But if you look at another woman or sleep with anyone if you aren't actually starving, I will dump your ass like a mutated controlled culture."

Bo's brows knitted together, "A what?"

Lauren gave her a tight smiled as she rolled her eyes, and patted her hand, "Sorry... science joke. Just know that relationship rules do exist in our marriage. No flirting, no flaunting and no generally unwarranted hanky panky."

Bo smiled, "Hanky panky, huh?"

Lauren chuckled, "It's a thing, look it up, Succubus."

Bo laughed in return, "I'm sure Lulu has a book that defines that category of intimacy."

"Are we going to send her to Fae school?" Lauren asked.

"Lulu?"

Lauren nodded.

Bo sighed, "Can we not talk about that until after the battle?"

"Sorry, when you mentioned..."

"Yea, I know and yes, she really wants to go. I know that you and Kenzi think she should be around other kids, but... well, I'm used to the way things were and right now everything is changing so fast. I just want her to stay young and innocent for a little while longer, ya know?"

Lauren nodded in agreement, "We'll see what happens when the dust settles, huh? We'll have all sorts of things to consider - things that have nothing to do with..."

"Our honeymoon and getting naked?" Bo asked, slipping a hand under Lauren's top, "Are we there yet?"

Lauren laughed, "An hour ago you asked that question and then fell asleep."

"Well, there was no need to stay awake when you were clearly lying about how close we were despite your recent promise to always be honest." Bo replied.

Lauren released the safety clip and, in one swift move, rotated 180 degrees to face forward in the saddle, taking control of the reins as she spoke,

"You were the one that promised that and while I would never lie to you, I may fib about things like a generalization about time like 'be home soon'... what does that really mean? More precisely, what does the word soon actually refer to when we're talking about time – especially warped space time?"

"Uh... I don't know what you said, but I'm pretty sure you said Bo has to wait longer to arrive."

Lauren smiled, "We'll be there soon, sweetie. I promise."

"There's that word 'soon' again, but I'll take it because as much as I'm enjoying this amazing chatty jousting of ours, verbal foreplay is overrated if it goes on for too long."

Lauren laughed, calling back to Bo over her shoulder, "Okay, Succubus. Hold on tight and I'll hurry things along a bit."

The blonde smirked and looked ahead, whispering to Aurora, "Come on, girl. Let's show Bo what you can do." She turned her head, "Hold on tight, Bo! You're gonna love this!"

"Wha... whoa...aaaaaaa!" Bo let out a scream as Aurora made a steep dive and then accelerated into the swift descent, "Lauuuraaan! What's haap-pen-iiingg!"

Lauren just laughed and tightened her grip on the reins as the stars that once speckled the darkness became bright streaks of white light streaming around them,

"Did I ever tell you how much I liked the effects when the Star Ship Enterprise entered warp speed? Well, Aurora can actually do it."

She smiled, leaning into her steeds' neck. Bo mirrored Lauren's form, practically laying on her back as she tightened her grip around her torso and gripped her jacket until her fingers were almost numb.

"Relax, Bo. She's got this. We're perfectly safe."

Bo's eyes were wide with terror as she replied, "Says the woman who just watched her newlywed wife almost plummet to her death!"

"Don't be silly, Bo. You wouldn't plummet to your death. You would simply be lost in the black void of the vail."

"Oh, perfect! Even better!"

Lauren laughed, "What happened to my Izzy... the one that had the unquenchable lust for adventure? The Izzy that was the theme park roller coaster fanatic?"

"She died and was replaced with someone who enjoys land much more." Bo said, her jaw clenched.

Lauren shook her head, "Says the woman who runs across the treetops with the Amazons."

"That's different. I'm in control and I can see the ground." She countered quickly.

"Look ahead... see that? It's ground."

Bo swallowed hard, "Great. Now we really can plummet to our deaths on the _ground_."

"You forget that Aurora flies and lands like we walk. She's not a man-made machine like an airplane, Bo. A Pegasus only crashes if it's unconscious or near unconscious when it lands." Lauren explained.

"Yea, well my stomach is turning inside out here." Bo replied, feeling the bile rise in her throat.

"Fine." Lauren replied, easing up on the reins and pulling Aurora out of warp speed, "I just thought that... well, since you were tired of the verbal foreplay, I would hurry things along so you could get me naked... and alone."

Bo's eyes flashed blue as her Succubus roared to the surface at Lauren's comment. She loved her daughter dearly, but being naked was not an option with a ten year old in the yurt. Even in the land of the White Witches, the couple had most often donned clothing if it had ever even come off to begin with. It seemed that privacy was merely a suggestion in the community.

"Warp speed it is." Bo replied, her eyes growing a more intense blue as she felt Aurora dive once again, heading down to the planet's surface and their highly anticipated honeymoon.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXX**_

"Lauren..."

"I know, Bo. Just a few minutes longer, I promise. If I don't start a fire... well... we'll be in the dark when Aurora leaves. The undersides of her wings are the only reason you believe we have light right now."

Bo turned and looked up at the Pegasus to see that she had, in fact, not lowered her wings, "Whoa, that's... amazing."

Lauren nodded, "She is, isn't she? I am continually amazed at how magnificent she is. I'm so grateful to have her." Bo watched as Lauren looked up and smiled at her winged animal, "The connection that is born between a Valkyrie and her Pegasus when they choose you is... well... she's like another sister to me in an odd sort of way."

Bo's mouth twisted, "Uh... you didn't do any creepy blood thing with a horse, did you?"

Aurora snorted in protest causing Lauren to chuckle, "She's not a horse, Bo. It would be like someone calling you a... well... a slang term for a woman who sleeps around."

"You mean it's like a Fae not liking being associated with the term Human just because they happen to share the same form." Bo replied.

Lauren nodded and shrugged, "There. We have light."

The blonde dusted off her hands and jeans before walking the short distance to Aurora,

"Thank you for waiting, girl. Listen for me, okay? I'll call you if we need you. Until then, you go and see your friend. Maybe you'll get lucky, huh?"

Aurora whinnied, nodding her head several times before nudging her head into Lauren who responded by rubbing her muzzle and sending her on her way. The blonde watched as her friend galloped along the shore and disappeared into the darkness above before turning back towards her wife.

The brunette watched the blonde approach, taking in the silhouette of her form created by the fire that now roared behind her,

"You really are incredibly beautiful, Lauren." Bo smiled, drinking in every inch of her lover as the blonde came to sit cross-legged beside her.

"Well, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so you may be a bit biased."

Bo shrugged, rolling onto her side to lean on one elbow, "Do you think I don't notice all of the eyes that are on you back in the land of the White Witches? Especially that Lena chick... she eyes your ass every time you walk away from her."

Lauren laughed, "Maybe she likes my jeans."

"I think it's more what's in your jeans that she likes." Bo pouted.

"And you? Do you like what's in my jeans?"

The raised eyebrows and flash of blue were all Lauren needed to see to know she'd hit the mark. Bo moaned, pulling the blonde down to lie beside her,

"Mmmm... my Lolo. I like everything that's in your jeans..."

She ran her hand up the side of her wife's thigh to her ass, giving it a squeeze,

"... and everything that's beneath this leather..." her fingers moved to the blonde's torso, working their way around to the zipper in the front,

"... and everything else. I love your entire body... I love your mind, your heart and your soul, Lolo. You are truly beautiful both inside and out..."

she placed light kisses down the blonde's neck as she slowly lowered the zipper on the jacket,

"... and right now, I want to make love to you on this very white sand surrounded by these millions of stars and this warm fire. I want to hear you fill the silence with the sounds of the pleasure I make you feel when I touch you. I want to cement your belief in my complete and total love for you right here... right now."

The words Bo spoke with such passion ignited something new in Lauren... something unbridled... something wild. She reached out and wrapped a hand around her lover's head to pull soft, perfect lips to her own in a kiss that held more meaning than words would ever convey. Bo answered Lauren's message with one of her own, deepening the kiss, announcing to her lover that they had waited all too many years.

Bo rolled the blonde onto her back, pulling her lips away long enough to look down at her lover, finding eyes dark with want,

"I love you when you look at me this way." Bo said, lowering her mouth to the blondes to lightly nip her lower lip with her teeth before trailing kisses along her jawline and down her neck, sucking lightly on her pulse point until she felt Lauren's hips rise up to meet her own.

"Bo..."

The brunette moved back to gaze into her wife's eyes, the fingers of one hand moving to push the hair away from the other side of her neck so she could feast on the delicate flesh. As she slid her tongue down the lengthy slip of soft skin, she felt the blonde's hips rise up once more to meet her thigh.

"Please, baby..."

"Mmmm..." Bo moaned, pulling the jacket from her wife's shoulder, "These clothes have to go."

The brunette sat up abruptly, yanking off her own jacket and top while the blonde did the same beneath her. Bo stood to pull the blonde's jeans from her body before moving above her once more. She smiled at her needy wife who all but launched herself at her wife's chest, her mouth latching onto one taut nipple while her hand teased the firm, ample flesh of the other,

"Lolo..."

Reluctantly, the blonde pulled back, her eyes watching as her thumbs moved back and forth over the hardened peaks of her lover's breasts,

"You have no idea how obsessed I am with your boobs."

Bo chuckled, "Boobs?"

Lauren shrugged, her mouth greedily tracing flesh, pulling away only long enough to reply, "Boobs."

Bo smiled, "Boobs it is, then. I just love the way you feel when you enjoy them."

Lauren moaned into heavy mounds, before sliding her tongue into the valley between the pair. She rolled the brunette over, laying her back on the blanket as she continued her journey south, her tongue pausing long enough to circle her wife's navel. She smiled as she watched Bo's body twist at the action and continued towards the waistband of her black pants.

She looked up to see her lover's eyes slowly turn blue as she worked the button free. Lowering the zipper, she sat up to grip the brunette's pants and pull them off, but she suddenly found herself on her back. She watched as the Succubus quickly removed her own pants, her eyes zeroing in on thighs already slick with wetness. Lauren could only watch as Bo slid her hands up the sides of both legs, her eyes scanning every inch of her body before pressing her legs up to fully reveal her heat.

"Mmmm... I am so happy we are out of that damn yurt and away from those busy body witches."

"Izzy..." Lauren moaned.

Bo smiled, "That's right, Lolo... I will always be your Izzy."

Lauren reached up and caressed the cheek of the Succubus. She felt bad for making her wait. The chi overload had her craving sex and she didn't want her wife to feel like she had to hold back,

"Izzy, you don't have to take your time with me. I know you're hungry."

The brunette frowned, her eyes turning back to brown, "I'm not hungry, Lo. I've had plenty of chi on the flight here. It's my Succubus... she's... she's a little confused."

"Confused?"

Bo's eyes glowed blue again, her eyes staring down at her wife for a long moment, her hands continuing to massage her thighs and hips.

"Hi."

The Succubus smiled, "Hi."

"Are you and Bo... are you the same?"

Lauren received a nod in reply, "I feel what she feels... but she decides."

"Bo decides?" Lauren asked.

The Succubus nodded.

"So she decided to marry me... to choose me?"

Again, she nodded in reply.

"I'm sorry if... if you aren't happy with her choice."

This time, the Succubus shook her head, her face twisting into a frown, "She chose... love."

"Is that why she said you're confused?"

Nodding, she replied, "I know... lust... sex... feeding... she never... I knew, but she never..."

Lauren thumbed the brunette's cheek, "It's okay. Bo never what?"

"She was young when she loved you. She never loved... not since I was born. This feeling... it's..."

"New?" Lauren asked.

The Succubus nodded, "And scary. I... I feel... afraid."

"Of love? Of me?"

"Of hurting you. I can't... I won't... hurt you. I can't. I love you like she does... need you like she does... want you like she does..." She closed her eyes, "...crave you like she does."

Lauren nodded, "Then have me... you and Bo... I belong to all that you are... all that she is... I belong to Bo and her Succubus just as you belong to me and my Fae."

"I... I will... change you."

"Wh-what?"

"Here... alone... in this place... the witches... they told you to Honeymoon here for a reason. You will become your true self... the Changeling."

Lauren sat up, pulling Bo towards her. The Succubus complied and placed a knee on either side of the blonde's hips, wrapping her arms around her neck.

"So, you're afraid that I will become this Changeling? Is it a bad thing? Will something bad happen to me?"

The Succubus shrugged, "You told us you haven't accepted being Fae... that you miss being Human. After we... you know... there's no going back for you."

"Going back? You think I want to go back?"

"To being Human... yes."

Lauren shook her head, a grin stretching across her face, "You see, that's what I get for not being an open book."

She looked up to see a confused Succubus staring back at her. She rolled her eyes and smiled. The Succubus was as adorable as Bo,

"When you asked me what was wrong after you woke up, I had been processing my altered state and... well... I've come to the conclusion that I wouldn't change anything that has happened unless it was going to change the fact that I will have a thousand lifetimes to live with you, my Izzy."

The Succubus smiled, "She lies when she says her name is Bo."

"What?" Lauren asked.

"In her heart, she's Izzy... your Izzy. To everyone else, she's Bo."

A broad smile stretched across Lauren's face, "I'm glad. I only hope I can be enough for you both through the very long marriage we have ahead."

Even as she spoke the words, concern... fear, even... raced through the blonde's heart. She pushed the worry aside and reached up to trail her fingers down the side of the brunette's face before reaching behind her head and pulling her close. She gently pressed her lips to those of the Succubus, their eyes remaining connected as Lauren pulled away,

"I'm ready to be what you need... I want to be all that you need, because you're everything I need in this world, Izzy. I'm so in love with you and all that you are. Please, take what you need and allow the change to happen. I'm ready. Drink from me, so I may be what I'm meant to be."

The Succubus gave Lauren a soft smile, "You're sure?"

The blonde nodded, "I am."

Their lips crashed together with the Succubus' strong arms pulling Lauren her tightly against her. The kiss deepened with both women moaning and grinding into the other as the brunette began to feed. She pulled deeply, feeding greedily for a long while until Lauren's eyes went wide at the sensation that grew as the feed continued. She tried to pull away, feeling that she was about to lose consciousness, but the brunette held her tightly, her eyes opening to reveal a brilliant blue center with a thin light blue line around the outside. Finally, the chi stopped coming and the blonde closed her eyes, falling back to the sand unconscious.

The Succubus was calm, but inside Bo screamed in a panicked voice. Placing a hand gently in the center of the blonde's chest, the brunette's eyes turned to white and an effervescent glow emanated from the skin of her hand. Long veins swelled beneath the skin of her forearm as tiny pulses that resembled those the Succubus would send into would-be victims traveled into her wife's chest. Finally, the blonde lifted her head, her lips finding those of the Succubus as she began to draw a long healthy line of white chi from her. After several moments, glowing white eyes met,

"Bo?"

The Succubus nodded, relinquishing control to her alter-ego, "Oh thank the Gods. It's me, Lo. I feel... I feel... different."

Lauren nodded, "Me too. I thought..."

"You were dead." Bo replied, shaking her head as she squeezed her eyes shut tight, "I couldn't stop her... I thought she was killing you. I thought..."

"She knew."

Bo nodded, "My Succubus has had the knowledge of The Prophecy all along. She tried to tell me, but I wouldn't listen... I didn't listen. I didn't want to. I didn't want the responsibility. But now, I know... it's true. Now, I know the truth of everything... I know who I am and what I'm capable of... she showed me everything... she wanted me to know... wanted you to know... that she and I... we're one and she and I... we love you... our Lolo. Everything I've ever called an instinct has been her clawing at the back of my mind just as I was screaming at her to stop... I thought she was killing you, but she was... she was uniting us... bonding us. We're stronger now."

"You are stronger now... I don't know how to explain it, but I could feel it when your chi entered me." Lauren replied, Bo's forehead coming to meet her own.

Bo smiled, "You fed from me... like a Succubus."

"We share everything now..." Lauren smiled in return.

"We're stronger now." Bo sighed.

"Together." Lauren replied.

"Together." Bo nodded, her eyes glowing white, a thin line of blue surrounding the nearly transparent color.

"Your eyes, they're white now... just a thin line of blue." Lauren explained, her thumb tracing the soft skin beneath the glowing orbs, "I think I might miss the blue."

"Sorry." Bo closed her eyes, but Lauren chuckled,

"Izzy, open your eyes, sweetie. I was just kidding. Look at me, baby." Lauren said, lifting her chin and gently kissing her lips, a thin stream of chi entering her mouth again. She pulled back, slightly, "Sorry, sweetie. I guess I'm going to have to learn to control..."

Bo placed a finger over the blonde's lips, "I'll teach you, I promise. But I don't mind. It feels... amazing, actually."

Lauren nodded, "I know what you mean. It feels good to know I can satisfy your hunger, but it also feels good... well... you know."

Bo laughed, "I didn't realize that by taking even a sip I was making you incredibly horny. I'm sorry for ever having taken your chi when we had to go to training or our Fae lessons."

Lauren smiled, "Nothing a few strong squeezes of the thighs can't cure."

The pair laughed, before Bo leaned in and kissed the blonde. She pulled back, licking her lips before opening her eyes to gaze into the white orbs of her lover,

Bo smiled, "Do you feel them?"

"What?" Lauren asked.

"Your eyes. They're the same as mine now." Bo smiled, caressing the blonde's cheek.

"I'm changed, just as Jadis predicted. I guess I'm officially a Changeling now. I'm still not entirely sure what that means, but..."

Bo nodded, "You're everything I need you to be, just as they said you'd be. What they didn't tell us is that I would change as well. I am not everything that you need me to be."

"How do you know that?"

"My Succubus... she told me your transition was complete and that we had become your beginning, your present and your future... everything you would ever need. She called you our mate and said you now carried our mark."

Lauren nodded, "I heard her... I don't know how, but... I heard her... or... I guess it was more that I felt her."

"What does she mean by you carry our mark?" Bo asked.

Lauren shrugged, "I don't know."

Bo smirked, "Well, I guess I'd better look around then... see if I can find it."

The brunette gave Lauren a mischievous smile as she sucked on the pulse point of the blonde's neck causing her to squirm and giggle,

"Bo."

"Yes?" The brunette continued, trailing kissing down to Lauren's chest where she paused to take a nipple into her mouth, swirling her tongue around the hardened nub leading the blonde to arch up into her mouth.

"Mmmm... Bo..."

The brunette moved to the other breast, her eyes moving to look upon the beauty that was her wife. She watched as her body arched up, face flushed, mouth open and felt a surge of love so great push it's way into her heart. Sliding back up to her love, she captured her lips in a seething kiss. The blonde slipped a hand behind her head and deepened the moment until they both pulled apart, breathless,

"I didn't know it was possible." Bo breathed out.

"Didn't know what was possible?" Lauren replied, loosely moving her lips back and forth, up and down over Bo's before the Succubus replied,

"That I could feel closer to you than I already did." Bo replied, lifting her head to place a soft kiss on her wife's forehead.

Lauren nodded and smiled.

Bo said, "I get it now."

"Get what?"

"What my Succubus said about us being mated. We fit perfectly. We're exactly what we were always meant to be."

"What are we?" Lauren asked.

"I don't know. Do you?" Bo asked.

Lauren shook her head, her eyes gazing longingly, lovingly into Bo's, "I don't know for sure. I just know... I feel... we aren't Human and we aren't Fae."

Bo nodded, "We're something more now."

"I can feel the power of the White Witches in me, but that's not all." Lauren replied.

Bo gave another nod, "After my Succubus depleted your chi, she placed her hand... well, my hand... on your chest. My blood vessels bulged like you described that day on the battle field and then I pulsed you like a Succubus, but the pulses were flashes of white light, not red-orange like they used to be. It felt different. I wasn't just using my influence. Well... I was, but it was like I wasn't influencing you, I was influencing... I don't know... your body, maybe?"

"The healing ability of the White Witches..." Lauren spoke, almost to herself, "... it all makes sense now. My rebirth made me part White Witch, Tamsin's blood made me part Valkyrie and your chi made me part Succubus. And now I have all of those parts of you and you have all of those from me."

Bo nodded absent-mindedly, more preoccupied with Lauren's long, lean neck,

"It's amazing that I'm in the middle of a scientific discovery and your one-track mind is still running on incredibly sexy, insatiable, Succubus mode."

Bo laughed, relaxing her grip for just a moment allowing the blonde to flip her over with some effort, the pair giggling as Bo resisted but Lauren eventually won out. She kissed the brunette before she spoke more seriously,

"The only problem is that we don't know all of the parts of you. I think Lulu is the key to us figuring that out. She seems to have inherited powers that didn't originate from you and somehow she has gained some White Witch powers."

"She's part of me and you're part of me, so she gets what I get?" Bo asked, looking up from her new location at Lauren's hip.

"If so, she could be changing right now." Lauren replied.

Bo stopped all movement at Lauren's suggestion.

"Bo?"

"No. It's okay, right? She's okay?" Bo slowly raised her eyes to meet Lauren's, "She's okay, right? I mean... without us there?"

Lauren smiled, nodding. She grazed Bo's cheek with her fingertips, "Jadis would call to me if she needed us. She promised."

Bo nodded, "Right. They knew this would happen. Jadis told me so. She and the others... she promised me they would keep Lulu protected. I mean, it's why we brought her to their realm, right? So that they could teach her to use her powers responsibly while in a place where there was enough power to control her should she lose control... in a place where she wasn't being drained by my Father's minions. So she's okay, right?"

Lauren smiled at her wife. She felt bad that she had ever thought Bo could possibly be a bad parent. The concern she felt for her daughter was written all over her face, "Izzy, she's okay. I promise you."

"You're sure."

Lauren smiled, "I would never have allowed us to take this trip if I had any doubt."

Bo frowned, "I'm sorry. It's just that... well... we've never been apart like this. I mean, sure we were apart when I went out to feed or went out after The Hunters, but I always knew she was safe in our house and Kenzi always knew what to do if..."

"Hey..." Lauren said, reaching out to grip her wife's face with both of her hands, "She's okay. I promise. But if you want to, we'll go back right now, Bo."

Bo sighed and relaxed back on to the sand, "No, it's okay. I mean, the Witches arranged all of this so the change could happen, right?"

Lauren nodded, "Right and they sent us away so that she didn't interrupt us while the change took place. Now that I think about it, I think she would have been drawn to the power in the moment we mated... she would have been drawn to us."

Bo frowned, "They could have told us."

Lauren nodded, "True, but then we wouldn't have wanted to leave. We would have wanted to be there for her, but then the change might not have happened. Your Succubus would have been afraid to come out with Lulu so close."

Bo nodded, "I guess that makes sense, but they still could have told us and then explained why we needed to leave. At least I could have... we would have..."

"Said a longer goodbye? Bo, you know as well as I do, that Lulu practically sent us on this trip herself. She wanted this for us."

"Maybe they told her?" Bo asked.

Lauren shrugged, "I don't know, sweetie, really, I don't."

Bo sat silently for a moment before she fell into the warm embrace of her wife. She quietly whispered, "I have to admit... part of me wants to leave."

"You're worried. Of course. Hand me my clothes." Lauren said, trying to sit up, but Bo just lifted her head, keeping her leg draped over the blonde so she couldn't move.

"What?" Bo asked.

"If we leave now, we can be there by tomorrow." Lauren replied, "If you want to go, you'll have to get off of me, Bo."

Bo shook her head, "I told you that a part of me wants to leave, Lauren. It's a small part. The rest of me is talking me out of it. I know my overprotective side is showing. I mean, she is surrounded by powerful beings that have sworn an oath to protect her and I need to learn to trust them. She'll be fine, right? Besides, I have got to stop coddling her. There's a war coming and if I should fall..."

Lauren gave Bo a wary look, "Well, we're not going to think that way, now are we?"

Bo snuggled into Lauren's side, the couple just lying still for a long while until the blonde broke the silence,

"So, are you sure you're okay with staying here?"

"I am, but she's your daughter now, too. Do you disagree? I want us to make this decision together."

"I'm sorry, Bo. I'm new at this parenting thing, so... well, I'm going to have to follow your lead."

Bo nodded and asked, "But you want to go?

Lauren hesitated, but gave a sigh and shook her head, "No, you're right, Bo. There's a war coming and she will have a role to play. We have to stop coddling her, even though she is definitely of coddling age."

"And I do love coddling her." Bo admitted, "I feel so guilty about all that she's had to endure in her short little life. Hell, I've left her alone for days at a time. Even you were ready to call child services on me."

"Fae child services." Lauren corrected.

"Even worse. Those bastards would have had her scrubbing floors like Cinderella until her powers became useful. Then they would have thrown her into that damn arena and forced her to choose who her Master would be."

Lauren smiled, "And like her Mom, she would have refused to choose. She would have returned to the woods and lived out her life with the Amazons until you returned, living off of the land as you taught her."

Lauren shifted from beneath Bo, rolling onto her side so she was looking down at the brunette. She propped her head up on her hand and entwined her fingers into Bo's,

"I was a judgmental ass who jumped to conclusions when I first met Lulu. I had no idea what the two of you were up against and frankly, now that I know, I'm amazed the two of you have survived as long as you have."

"Well thanks for the vote of confidence." Bo replied, her ego slightly bruised by the comment.

Lauren shook her head, "I didn't mean it like that, Izzy. I meant that you were given practically none of the usual tools a Fae child would have to survive the Fae enemies you've had to face and yet you didn't just survive, you thrived. You and your daughter have become strong, independent beings despite your secret origins."

Bo nodded and smiled, "Well, when you put it that way, it sounds much more noble... and awesome... we definitely sound awesome."

Lauren laughed, "Regardless, I agree your daughter does not need coddling. Love, encouragement and tutoring, yes but coddling, no."

"Our daughter and I'm glad we're in agreement with regards to Lulu, but do you know who could use some coddling?"

"Who?" Lauren asked, wondering whom her wife was referring to.

Bo grinned, "Me... and then you... or you and then me... or both of us together."

The pair laughed as Bo pushed Lauren onto her back and slid onto her body, wasting no time in parting her thighs. She looked up at her wife, her eyes glowing white,

"Mmmm, my Lolo is very wet. Did I do that?" Bo asked as Lauren chuckled,

"You did."

Using both of her thumbs to part the slick folds of skin, the Succubus revealing her wife's soaked heat, "My prize."

Lauren chuckled and Bo smiled in return, before settling between her wife's legs, slipping one onto her shoulder to expose all of Laurens' most sensitive parts,

"It's nice to know we won't be interrupted." Bo said, looking up at Lauren as she ran her fingers back and forth through the soft, moist folds.

The blonde smiled, her hips arching up into Bo's touch and ran her fingers through the dark lengths of hair as the brunette pressed her head into her palm,

"I love you, Lolo... so much."

Lauren smiled, "My Izzy... I love you too."

Eyes locked on one another, Bo slipped inside of her wife and found a rhythm that satisfied her desire until the blonde asked for more. The Succubus rose to the occasion as their arousal soared and dark orbs transitioned to white. Lauren reached for the brunette,

"Closer, Izzy... please... come closer."

Keeping contact, she slid up and into the blonde's embrace while her fingers continued to pump in and out of her lover slow and deep. She looked up to see the most intense white eyes staring back at her, pleading with her to give her all she wanted and needed.

"Tell me what you want, Lolo."

"You, Izzy... all of you... I need you... I need all of the years we've missed back... I need you to fill the emptiness I felt when I thought you were..."

"Shhhh... I'm here, baby. I'm here and I am very much alive. We... are very much alive and very much together." Bo moved closer, holding her tight, quickening and deepening her thrusts.

"Izzy... please..."

Bo curled her fingers in response, hitting the spot inside her lover that sent her hurdling towards completion while the blonde gripped any part of the brunette's flesh she could, holding on for dear life as she brought her to a climax that had her seeing stars. Bo watched as the blonde's breathing ceased for a long moment, her mouth open, eyes locked on her own until she finally slumped against her, breathless and spent.

Bo held her closely as she felt the blonde release years of pent up emotions. She didn't have to ask. She knew that her wife was crying for all she had missed and lost. She held her until she had nothing left to release, and then slowly eased the firmness of her embrace. Lauren, however, was not releasing her wife any time soon,

"Hey, I'm here. I told you, I'm not going anywhere. I just want to look at you, Lo." Bo whispered as Lauren allowed some distance.

Bo wiped away the tears, "Better?"

Lauren nodded, "Sorry. That was a really, really long hold-over."

Bo smiled, "I'll bet." She leaned in and kissed the blonde's forehead.

"You don't have to be the strong Doctor or Valkyrie for me. You just have to be my Lolo... whoever that may be. I know that you feel like you've made some progress on the ride here... you know, with accepting your knew part in this Fae world we've found ourselves in... But you don't have to be so tough. You're allowed to fall apart now and then. I sure as hell will."

Bo smiled earning a slight chuckle from the blonde.

"I'll always be here to catch you when you feel yourself falling, Lo. We're in this together now. Can you feel that?"

Lauren nodded, "I do... I just... I've had years of waiting for the other shoe to drop. It's a practiced habit of mine that I'll have to work on. I've got to learn to trust my gut again."

Bo shook her head, placing a hand on her wife's chest, "Trust your heart, sweetie. In my experience, it's always been right."

Lauren placed her hand on Bo's chest, "Thank you. I'm sorry I ruined the first night of our honeymoon."

"Ruined?" Bo turned to face her wife, taking her hand in her own and bringing it to her lips, "Do you know how much it means to me that you allowed me to see you vulnerable? That you didn't hide from me like you did earlier? I understood that you needed some time, but just now, you allowed me to see all of you."

"I'm an ugly crier." Lauren replied.

"You, are a beautiful woman through the entire rainbow of emotions you show. You are not an ugly crier. Now Kenzi, she is an ugly crier. Thank God she uses sarcasm instead of tears most of the time. I never know quite what to do when she's upset and..."

Lauren silenced her wife with a firm finger to her lips, "As much as I love your best friend, I'd like to get back to our honeymoon..."

Bo parted her lips, taking the long slender digit into her mouth, sucking gently before pulling back and swirling her tongue over the tip,

"There's no place I'd rather be. Now... where were we?"

The blonde slowly moved towards the brunette, "I was about to kiss my best friend... the mother of my newly adopted daughter... my Succubus... my mate... my wife... my lover... so, if you don't mind, I'd like a little cooperation..."

She pushed Bo onto her back, pinning her arms over her head with one hand. Planting a heated kiss on her wife's mouth, she pulled back, her eyes blazing white,

"Mine."

"Mmmm... take charge Lolo. I love it." Bo smiled as her eyes transitioned as well. She watched as the blonde devoured her breasts before her greedy mouth moved lower, releasing her hold on her wife's arms in favor of touching everywhere else. If Bo had any doubt about how her wife felt about her body, those doubts were erased as Lauren took as much as she gave.

"Gods, Lolo... please... I've wanted you since we were on that damn horse of yours!"

"Pegasus and her name is Aurora." Lauren corrected sternly before pushing Bo's legs apart, "Now it's my turn to take my prize."

"Gods yes." Bo replied, moaning through the first firm, long, deep lick of her heat. She forced her eyes open to watch as the blonde penetrated her folds, her lips wrapping around the hardened nub and sucking. Bo lifted her hips offering more of herself to her lover as they fell into a rhythm that had become second nature to them over the last months.

"Lo... you feel... so... damn... good."

"Mmmm... and you taste divine." The blonde replied, stopping long enough to slip another finger into her wife's heat before her tongue found its' place in her warmth once again.

Bo kept her gaze on Lauren, not wanting to miss a single second of what her wife was doing to make her feel the bliss she was feeling. Bo's Succubus purred her approval as Lauren took her to new heights.

"Lo... that feels... you... mmmm... you're... you're a... sex Goddess."

Lauren giggled against her wife's heat, intensifying her efforts to bring her wife to the ultimate peak where she pushed her over the edge and watched as her mouth dropped open and time seemed to stand still. Izzy was beautiful in moments like this and Lauren watched in awe, committing every second to memory until she fell slack against the sand.

As expected, Izzy tugged her to her, always wanting to cuddle the blonde after her climax,

"You're an amazing lover, Lolo."

The blonde smiled, "Well, making love to you is easy."

Bo pulled back quickly, "Did you just call me easy?"

Lauren laughed and settled into Bo's chest, "Yes, my lovely Succubus. I believe I did and it's a good thing you are."

"Why's that?" Bo asked, rolling Lauren onto her back, wasting no time slipping her fingers between the blonde's thighs.

Lauren, "Because I will never get enough of this."

"Mmmm... ditto."

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

When Bo opened her eyes, she found they were now surrounded by light, "Sweet Mother of the White Witches..."

Lauren's eyes popped open as she sat up straight on high alert, "What's wrong?"

Bo looked at her wife, "Oh, shit. I'm sorry, Lauren. I thought I was... sorry. I didn't mean to say that so loudly."

"Say what?"

Bo shook her head, "It's silly, really."

Lauren smiled, wiping the sleep from her eyes, "Tell me."

Bo smiled, kissing her wife's lips softly, before pointing up at the sky, "I just opened my eyes and was stunned to see... all of this. The sky looks like sunrise and sunset were married and had babies all around us. I've never seen such a bright and colorful sky. Where are we, anyway?"

The blonde smiled, "This is the Land of Light, Bo. It's the birthplace of the White Witches."

"And you're allowed to come here?"

"I'm the daughter of a White Witch, so this is my birthplace as well."

Bo chuckled, "Actually, you were born on Earth. Human, remember?"

Lauren smiled, "And you forget that Human Lauren died on Earth. She was reborn here."

"Wait... I thought that you were born in the other place where they all live." Bo asked, scrunching up her brow.

Lauren shook her head in reply, so Bo asked,

"So this is where Tamsin brought you when you... you know..."

"Died? Not exactly."

It was Bo's turn to shake her head, "Okay, you're confusing me."

Lauren smiled, "Sorry, sweetie. Tamsin is not permitted in this land just as you would not be permitted in Valhalla. It's a world intended only for its people."

"Then how am I here?" Bo asked.

"The bridge to this world recognized our union."

Bo nodded, "You mean that freaky blood binding thing? I thought it was just some superstitious witch stuff."

Lauren smiled, "Yea, well it's more than just superstition, sweetie. The White Witches are mocked by some of the Fae, but they are without a doubt, one of the most powerful species in the Universe."

"And all this time I thought Witches were just the things you heard about at Halloween and in Harry Potter."

The blonde chuckled at her wife and smiled before she continued to explain, "Our blood bind definitely changed us and... well... when you fell asleep on me last night..."

"Hey, I didn't fall asleep on you..." Bo defended.

"You did."

"I didn't." Bo insisted.

Lauren chuckled, "You did, because I watched you sleep for about two hours while I pieced together much of what happened to us in that ceremony."

"What happened to us?" Bo asked.

Lauren was quiet for a moment, which made Bo nervous.

"Lauren? What happened to us?"

The blonde looked up at her wife, revealing watery eyes.

"Oh my... hey... what's wrong?" Bo asked, gently smoothing Lauren's hair.

"Can... can I ask you something?"

"Anything. You know that." Bo smiled.

"When you decided you wanted to be married to me, was it... I mean... was it... would you have..."

The blonde struggled to get out the words, but her throat tightened as the tears fell hard. Bo wrapped her arms around her and pulled her head to her chest,

"Lauren, it's okay. Whatever it is, we'll get through it. I mean, just look at us. Separated for more than a decade, then we find each other and pick up as if we'd never been apart. We'll always beat the odds, Lolo. I promise you. There is no one else in this world I'd rather face the tough stuff with, baby."

"But, what if it's just that we've been drawn together because of all of this drama and when it calms down, you'll realize I'm just a boring doctor?" Lauren looked up, her eyes red and swollen, "What if you realize you've made a mistake? That I'm not... not enough for you?"

Bo shook her head, "Hey, hey... what is all of this?"

"I just... I didn't know... I mean... a Changeling is... I... I swear I didn't know."

"Lolo, please tell me what you didn't know?"

There was a long pause before Lauren lifted her eyes to meet Bo's and said, "What happened to us... it... it was a soul bonding."

"A what now?" Bo asked.

"See? You don't want..."

"No, Lo... I just... aw, sweetie... please... I just don't know what that is. Please don't worry. I promise I won't be mad. Just... explain it to me, okay? Like, High School Diploma style, not sexy Doctor style." Bo smiled, sweeping a loose hair behind her wife's ear.

"What your Succubus did to me... I'm almost certain it was a soul bonding. We needed the blood ceremony to physically bind us and then... well, the sharing of our chi bound our souls and yielded some new physical changes that I believe are still taking place at the cellular level."

"Uh... that sounds bad." Bo replied, but quickly added, "I don't mean relationship bad, I mean bad for our continued survival bad."

Lauren shook her head, "I don't believe so. I feel stronger and more energetic than ever. I feel... aware... like my senses are all heightened. I feel... amazing."

Bo laughed, "Well, you have a funny way of showing it. You look like hell, sweetie. Adorable sad puppy dog eyes cute, but you're kind of breaking my heart here."

Lauren gave Bo a sad smile, "Well, I did feel amazing until I started to think about the way you might react about having such an intense bond like that to me. Then it all sort of changed to terrifying."

"Well, when I said there would never be anyone else, I meant it, Lolo. So just don't you worry about us. We're solid, okay?"

Lauren nodded.

"Besides, I think I'm mad at you for even considering our marriage could be over before it even started. I have big plans for the next two thousand years or so."

Lauren smiled, "Oh yea?"

Bo smiled and nodded in return, "I do. It's an awfully big universe, so we've got a lot to see and our little girl is going to need siblings, so just don't you worry. No matter how long we have together, it will never be enough, Lauren."

The blonde smiled.

"So, are you better?" Bo asked.

The blonde nodded and cuddled into Bo, "So, how do you feel?"

Bo quietly took inventory of her own body before looking up at her wife with a smile, "You're right. I feel amazing too."

"Of course, that could also be the residual effect of the chi sharing and my amazing skills." Lauren purred, leaning in to kiss and suck on the nape of Bo's neck.

"My, aren't you cocky."

"Well, I am a doctor. I have many skills." Lauren replied.

Bo laughed, "As much as I feel amazing and would love to go twenty more rounds with you and that incredible body of yours, I'm starving."

Lauren smiled before she stood suddenly and extended a hand to her wife, "Come on then. I know a local breakfast spot you will absolutely love."

"They have diners here?"

"Trust me?" Lauren asked.

"Always and forever." Bo replied as she took the offered hand and stood with some help from the blonde. After just a few steps, Aurora landed just in front of them. Bo frowned, but Lauren could only laugh at her wife and give her hand a tug,

"Come on. It's just a short flight I promised. Besides, you can get a fantastic view of the island this way. She'll keep the ride smooth, right Rora?"

The Pegasus whinnied in reply as Bo took Lauren's hand to mount the steed, wrapping her arms around tightly around her waist once she had settled in front of her. Moments later, they were airborne enjoying the amazing view,

"Okay, so you're right. This is incredible. I've never seen so many colors in the sky. I feel like I'm part of a watercolor painting. This place is truly amazing."

Lauren nodded, "Honestly, when I awoke here, I thought it was a dream. When I realized it wasn't, I thought there was really a Heaven and I almost didn't want to leave."

Bo tightened her grip, "I'm glad you did."

The brunette leaned into her wife, "So, you didn't finish explaining how I'm able to be here."

"You're a part of me now through our shared blood and that makes you part of this world... through my relationship with Jadis."

"Why do I feel like I should break out and sing a Disney song right now?" Bo asked.

Lauren laughed, "Maybe because _Ariel_ is LuLu's favorite Disney Princess and she loves the song _Part of Your World_."

"I blame you for that." Bo replied.

"Me?" Lauren asked.

"Yes you. You encouraged her."

"I beg your pardon! She loved that movie long before she ever met me."

"Actually, she did love it, but her favorite was _Beauty and the Beast_." Bo replied.

"Really? She didn't tell me that."

Bo smiled, "She's embarrassed."

"Why in the world..."

"Because she lied to you and told you it was always her favorite. She only likes it best now because you like it best. She's modeling your behavior, Lauren. She wants to be just like you, but I'd say she doesn't have to try. You two are already so much alike, it's incredible. Books, food, mannerisms... if I hadn't been present for her birth..."

"Stop, silly." Lauren smiled, giving Bo a playful slap on the leg, "You know I love your daughter..."

"Our daughter... or did you forget you signed the papers at the ceremony?" Bo smiled.

Lauren smiled, "Our daughter... but we're on our honeymoon and I think our conversation would be better suited to topics that are more PG-13."

Bo slipped a hand between Lauren's legs and applied some pressure until she felt the blonde respond,

"I prefer our M-rated conversations much better."

Lauren moaned, "Mmmm... well, you are certainly speaking big girl talk to me right now."

Bo trailed kisses down Lauren's neck, pausing at a few spots to lightly nibble on the tender skin, "Haven't you heard that size doesn't matter?"

The blonde laughed putting Aurora into a steep dive, knowing full well how to take the horny out of the Succubus. Sure enough, Bo let out a scream, putting a vice-like grip on Lauren's hips. The blonde laughed all the way to the ground where they landed with barely a bump.

With a skillful dismount, she gave Aurora a few vigorous thank you rubs before helping her wife down and grabbing her pack. The couple watched as the Pegasus galloped ahead of them,

"I'll never get used to that flying thing." Bo said with a scowl.

"Sure you will. Before you know it, you'll be holding the reins."

"I'm not a Valkyrie, remember?"

"You have all that is me inside of you, remember? A Pegasus would respond to you now."

Bo shook her head as they walked along, "Nah. I think I'll pass. Besides, a Pegasus isn't much good to me in the trees. Their wingspan wouldn't allow for much flight time."

"True, but it would allow for you to go to places like this." Lauren nodded towards a small oasis of trees and grasses, "Breakfast. Every fruit and vegetable you can imagine grows here."

Bo smiled, pointing at the Pegasus, "It looks like your baby girl found the apples."

Lauren smiled, "Aurora loves apples."

"Me too." Bo replied, "Let's eat."

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

Bo sat lounging against the hammock Lauren had woven together from palm fronds. When Bo asked her why she was making a hammock instead of just sitting on the sand, her wife had responded with a simple, "Because I can".

It seemed that Lauren had continued to be just as brilliant as she'd been in high school. Not that Bo had any doubts, but it had always amazed her how the blonde could make something out of seemingly nothing. The tree house was a great example of that as well. The original had been made of all scraps that she and Kyle had found in the alleyways and junkyards around town. It was the epitome of something out of nothing.

Her attention was drawn to the blonde muttering scientific terms in her sleep. She smiled at yet another familiar habit of her old friend that had found its' way with her to adulthood. Even the position they were in now mirrored the old days when the blonde would fall asleep in the crook of her neck with Bo's arm wrapped protectively around her.

Now Bo wished she had never kept her feelings a secret... so many wasted years. She had often wondered what their lives would have become if they'd stayed together, but now she realized everything really did happen for a reason. If she'd have been there when Lauren was killed she might have stopped it and the blonde would still be Human. They might have sixty years together at best and Lauren would have...

Bo scowled, shaking out the thoughts. They were together and nothing was going to separate them again – not if Bo had anything to say about it. She had a family now... areal family. And she had no intention of giving it up for anyone or anything. The Fae, her Father, the Hunters, the Witches... they could all kiss her fine ass if they didn't like it.

When she returned to the land of the White Witches, she had decided that she was going to become a top-notch student. If the Fae thought they were going to use her to save the world, then she was going to use them to gain the tools to do just that... only her motives were a little different. The only reason she was saving the world was so that she could save her family.

She froze as she felt her wife grow restless. Lauren had admitted she'd only slept for a few hours last night, so Bo hoped she would remain asleep for a while longer. She had, after all, been awake for the Earth equivalent of at least two days to get them here. Maybe it would be a good idea for Bo to learn how to ride a Pegasus. That way, she could do part of the driving. Of course, a Pegasus only had one owner, so she wasn't sure Aurora would obey her commands.

She looked out at the crystal clear sea. If it weren't for the soft ripples on the surface, she could have sworn it was glass. Bo had never seen a completely transparent ocean before and while she sat gazing out at it, she wondered how many people actually had. She had to admit it was highly unusual to see fish swimming below the surface of a watercolor sky. It was like she was living in a comic book, only this was the reality of the Land of Light. Her life these days was like a dream. She had only been with Lauren for a short while, but in that time, the things she'd witnessed had shown her a world she could only characterize as miraculous.

She wished that Lulu could be here to see this place. Bo could picture the young girl running through the orchard, stuffing herself full of berries and carrots before picking palm-woven baskets full of vegetables to make her favorite soups. She would surely be exploring every species of fish in the ocean, running back and forth to the books she would have on shore to identify everything she found. Lauren of course, would be right there next to her just as excited about the intellectual adventure.

She placed a light kiss on Lauren's forehead, before releasing a heavy sigh as she took in the details of her sleeping wife's features. The tiny lines around her eyes, the length of her eyelashes, the shape of her nose, her lips, her strong jaw, the multiple strands of colors that made up hair that appeared blonde, but was not entirely so. Her muscular arms and forearms, long slender fingers... well, there were just so many things that Bo loved about Lauren and it seemed the longer she watched her sleep, the more things there were to love.

"It's not polite to stare." The blonde mumbled out, startling Bo.

The brunette chuckled, "You're supposed to be asleep."

"Your staring woke me."

Bo chuckled, "I see. You heard that, huh?"

Lauren smiled, "You're loud when you stare."

"I'll go back to staring at the fishies if you promise to go back to sleep. You need to rest, Lauren."

"I'll rest when I'm dead." Lauren replied.

"Well, considering that will be thousands of years from now, I think you need to come up with a new plan for sleep." Bo replied.

"Okay, so you may have a valid point there." Lauren noted.

Bo laughed, "Wait... did you just say I was right? Because if you did, we have to make note of the date and time so we have it for all of posterity."

Lauren looked up, "I always admit when I'm wrong. You are the stubborn one."

"Hmmm... I seem to remember warning you against going to the prom with Andrew. You didn't admit you were wrong on that one."

"Bad example. That was your fault."

"My fault?"

"I wouldn't have gone to prom with Andrew if you had asked me. You were the only one I really wanted to go with. If you and Kyle hadn't insisted I go, I never would have gone at all."

Bo frowned, "I'm sorry."

Lauren lifted her head again to look at her wife, "Hey, I shouldn't have brought that up. I'm the one who should be sorry."

Bo leaned back, welcoming Lauren into her arms again, "I could lay here like this forever. I wish we didn't have to go back. Lulu would go crazy here."

Lauren smiled, "She would, wouldn't she. I think she would be making soup for days, then identifying every species of fish and plant life in the ocean, asking me if any of them could cure diseases."

"Yea, I'd already imagined her doing those things... with you not far behind."

Lauren nodded, "I have to admit, this place is a scientists' Disney World. I've often thought about all of the plant species around here. I didn't have much time to gather many of them the last time I was here. I found this one incredible species of cactus that has a nectar unlike anything I've ever seen. I combined it with... well... I won't bore you with the details, but I used it on a cut of one of the Elder's Humans and it healed in less than twenty four hours. Truly incredible properties..."

"You know, as much as I absolutely adore your geek out sessions, I love watching you sleep even more... especially when you need it as much as you do right now." Bo smiled.

"Shut up, Lauren?" the blonde smiled.

Bo shook her head, "No, more like don't get that big brain of yours going right now. It's supposed to be calming into a slow boil, not roaring into a bonfire."

Lauren snuggled into Bo's arms, the brunette pulling her close and placing a gentle kiss on the top of her head,

"I hope you don't mind if I stare some more. I love watching you sleep. I love when your big brain turns off and you fall into me, completely relaxed." She kissed the blonde's forehead, "You stress too much. It worries me."

"I've always been pretty high strung, Bo. You know this about me." The blonde replied quietly.

"I know, but I've never liked it. You know that."

The blonde laughed, "Lolo, relax. Lolo, chill. Lolo, you need to sleep. Lolo, don't stress. You were always trying to get me to take time off for fun."

"If I'd known it would be a simple marriage ceremony that would get you to do it, I would have married you long ago." Bo laughed, "Sleep now, sweetie, please? When you wake, we can go explore this beautiful island of yours some more, okay?"

Lauren gave a nod and closed her eyes, settling into her wife's chest. Bo smiled, watching for a long while until the blonde's breathing eased into a slow, deep rhythm and her body grew heavy in her arms.

"Perfect." The brunette whispered with a smile as she moved her gaze from her wife to the sea before them, "Our life is perfect."

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

"So, what do you want to do for our last night here?" Bo asked, tracing lazy circles on Lauren's shoulder as she sat behind her on the beach while she read her book.

The blonde leaned back into her wife, putting the novel aside, "I'd be happy just sitting here watching the sunset. I'm going to miss the colors."

Bo smiled, "Me too."

They sat in silence for a while before the brunette asked, "So, are you bored with your book yet?"

Lauren chuckled, "I don't know. Are you bored watching me read yet?"

Bo wrapped her arms around her wife and pulled her back to lay in her lap, "I will never get tired of watching you no matter what you're doing."

She lowered her head and placed a soft kiss on the blonde's lips before lifting her head and leaning back onto her hands. Lauren turned on her side, propping herself up on her elbow between Bo's legs,

"You're getting antsy, I can tell."

Bo shrugged, "No really. I just... well, I'd like to talk a bit before we leave."

"About what?"

Bo looked out to sea, then back at Lauren, "You know... the serious stuff."

"Serious stuff? You mean the coming war?"

Bo shook her head, "No, that's gonna happen no matter what. I mean about you... about... well... how do you feel about everything now that we're... well, both Fae, married, together... everything?"

Lauren slid closer to Bo, "That's a very big everything. Can you narrow it down a bit?"

Bo shrugged, "I don't know, just... everything. I mean... well... do you feel secure with us now?"

The blonde smiled, "I do. Thanks for being so patient with my doubts this week."

"Always." Bo smiled in return.

"Oh yea? Even when I geek out during sex?"

"As long as I can continue to roam while you do, it's fine. I find your geek outs quite sexy."

Lauren laughed, "So I've noticed."

"So... about being Fae. Are you okay with it now?"

Lauren sat up and looked at her wife with a sigh, "Why is it so important to you that I be okay with being Fae? It wasn't your fault that I was changed."

Bo sat up and crossed her legs in front of her, lowering her eyes as she shook her head, "But it's my fault that you're a Changeling now and if the Prophecy is real... and we think it is... then my very existence in your life is partly to blame for you becoming Fae. It means it had to happen for me... for us... to save the world, so it means that you being Fae is my fault."

Lauren reached out and lifted Bo's chin until their eyes met, "So you think I blame you?"

Bo shrugged, "I know you don't think it's my fault, but I still feel responsible. I can't stop feeling bad that you feel bad about losing your Humanity."

"Yea, well remember the other day when we found that baby seal washed up on the beach with the broken tail?" Lauren asked.

"Awww... that kind of broke my heart." Bo replied.

Lauren nodded, "And when you touched my hand, the white healing energy passed from us to the broken limb."

"It was a very cool moment... watching him swim off to join the rest of his fuzzy friends." Bo replied.

"He was a she and yes, it was. But my point is... I realized in that moment that being Fae doesn't take away my Humanity."

Bo cocked her head to the side, about to speak, but allowed Lauren to continue instead,

"As you know, the Fae enslaved me. What you don't know is how that changed me. At first, I would fight against the unethical treatment of Humans and Fae who were powerless against the Ash and the Elders. Eventually, I realized that if I didn't keep my mouth shut and do as I was told, I would be dead in a year. So, I silenced my urge to fight for the weak, my urge to do what was right and my need to follow the oath I had taken as a physician."

She looked up at Bo, "What I hadn't realized until this week was that by becoming submissive to the Fae authority, I had already given up my Humanity... the instinct that every human has to do what is right... to help another being... to act with kindness, humility and conviction. I realized that it's what inside our hearts and minds that makes us Human, no what's in our DNA."

Lauren smiled, "I'm okay with being Fae because I haven't lost my Humanity at all. I've gained the power to do all of the things my Human self could never do. I can heal people, Bo. It's all I've ever wanted to do. I can defend the weak and heal the sick and using my powers to do so is a very Human thing to do."

"You're sure?" Bo asked.

Lauren smiled and nodded before leaning in to place a soft kiss on her wife's lips, "I've never been more sure of anything in my life. The sensation of our power joined to save that creature filled my heart with... well... a love... a passion for this life we are just beginning to live."

Bo smiled, taking Lauren's hands in her own, "I like that."

"I'm glad." Lauren replied, kissing Bo's knuckles.

"How are you with the whole bonding thing now? Do you regret losing that sense of independence?"

"I don't really feel that I've lost anything. I mean, I think we're both such independent people to begin with that the sense of independence shines through despite our new bond. I have to admit that by mid-week, I wasn't sure but now it feels... comforting I guess? How do you feel?"

Bo smiled, "Well, I already told you that I had kept an eye on you until you left town. It killed me not being able to be there for you when you were upset, but I knew that whatever I was, I was dangerous and I couldn't take a chance on hurting you like I did... Kyle."

Bo took a deep breath before she continued, "When you left, I was okay at first. It was a relief that you couldn't be hurt by my family and when The Hunters came around, I was glad you were away. But then... well, I guess I never thought about you deciding not to come back home. I kept my ear to the pavement, listening to the town gossip and knew you eventually became a successful doctor. Then, it was radio silence. I guess that's when the Fae took you."

Lauren watched the scowl appear on her wife's face, "Izzy, it's okay."

She squeezed the brunette's hand, gaining a glance that broke her heart. Bo's eyes were filled with tears,

"Izzy... I'm here now."

"But you weren't... for a really, really long time you weren't and... it was so hard. I missed you so much and it felt... it felt like there was a hole in me."

"Until Rainer..."

"No! Rainer was a marriage of convenience. He was a great partner and friend. He helped me with my feeding and... well, it wasn't until Lulu was born that it felt like a part of that hole was filled."

"And now?"

Bo wiped her eyes and smiled up at her wife with bloodshot eyes, "Now I'm so damn grateful for everything. Having you back in my life felt like the pieces were finally coming together. Getting married gave me hope. Bonding with you... the hole is finally filled again. I feel..."

"Complete." Lauren finished with a smile.

Bo leaned in and kissed the blonde hard gripping her face with both hands before pulling back, to gaze upon her wife's face,

"Yes, complete." She replied.

"Still, I still wish I knew what to expect with these powers."

Lauren's concerned tone was not lost on Bo.

"I know what you mean, but hopefully Jadis will be able to help us with that when we go home."

Lauren nodded, "That red energy ball thing was certainly a surprise... not to mention your response."

Bo laughed, snuggling into her wife, "Mmmm... a very, very pleasant, sexy, and explosive surprise. It was a whole new level of amazing. I didn't know I could feel that good."

"Well, I'm just glad I didn't blow you up or something." The pair laughed together.

"I can't wait until we can learn how to do it on demand." Bo replied.

Lauren smiled, "Me either. I'm still worried I'm going to accidentally do that to you during a lunch in the community yurt."

"It would certainly liven up the place." Bo replied.

Lauren laughed, "The White Witches are very private people and certain things are very sacred to them."

Bo smiled, slipping her hand beneath her wife's white blouse, "Well, I can think of a few places on you that are sacred to me. As a matter of fact, I've been worshipping them all week long."

Lauren pushed the brunette back, "Hands!"

"You're no fun." Bo replied.

"I've been fun all week." Lauren countered.

"You certainly were." Bo said with a smirk wrapping her arms around her wife.

Lauren was silent for a moment before she asked, "Do you need more?"

Bo shook her head, "No, I'm just greedy. I assure you I am well fed, Lolo."

"You're sure?" Lauren asked, "Because I want to be..."

"Lo, I assure you that you are all I need. I am more than satisfied."

"But you..."

"I'm a Succubus, Lauren. I'm always in the mood... especially around you. I wish you knew how yummy you are."

Lauren blushed, lowering her eyes, "You're pretty yummy yourself."

The blonde kissed the brunette's cheek before asking her, "How do you feel about everything now?"

Bo considered the question first before replying, "I feel... new. I hope you feel as good as I feel when I'm with you. I just can't wait for this damn war to be over so that you, me and Lulu can be a family and settle into our home... wherever that is."

Lauren smiled, "Me too."

"Have you given any more thought to where you want to live?" Bo asked.

"I really don't want to uproot Lulu from the only home she has ever known, but at the same time, I agree with you that she's really enjoying being around other people and kids."

Bo nodded, "I guess we have some time to decide."

"And I know you don't want to talk about it, so we won't, but the reality is that I am still a slave of the Light Fae and until they officially decide what to do with my new status, I may have to stay in Toronto."

"I thought that Ash-hole took care of it."

Lauren shook her head, "Jadis basically threatened all of them, but that doesn't mean the Elders will back down on their desire to keep me to do their bidding."

"Have these ancient idiots heard of hiring someone as an employee?" Bo asked.

Lauren laughed as she reached up to smooth the crease between her wife's eyebrows, "Don't scowl, Izzy. It'll put wrinkles on that beautiful face."

"I say again... Succubus. Sexual healing is an actual thing for me." Bo replied with a smirk.

"I love you, Izzy."

"Love you too, Lolo." Bo replied, kissing the blonde on top of the head, "So, what do you want to do for our last night here?"

Lauren thought for a moment before she replied, "Lay here and watch the sunset, then make love under the stars and fall asleep in your arms. Sleep late, eat in the orchard and then get back to Lulu."

"Wow. I didn't expect a full agenda." Bo smiled.

"Too much?" Lauren asked.

"Absolutely not. It sounds perfect." Bo replied, "I wonder what's been happening back home?"

"Worried about Lulu?"

Bo shrugged, "I guess."

"Me too, but we agreed..."

"You're right. We will not coddle, we will trust."

Lauren laughed, "Our new mantra."

"You know it's not going to work, right?"

"I do, but we can still say it and pretend." Lauren smiled, "I really do have to work on not spoiling her rotten."

"That has never been a problem for me. I have to learn to lighten up a bit. I've been really hard on her since she was old enough to talk."

Lauren nodded, "But the two of you have an incredible relationship. She knows you've just been protecting her, sweetie."

Bo sat quietly for a long moment until Lauren pulled her from her thoughts, "Izzy? What's wrong, baby?"

Looking up at her wife, she replied, "Honestly? I just don't want her to be afraid of me. She's always been leery of the blue-eyed version."

Lauren shook her head, "I don't think that's the case anymore... of course, she'll have to get used to seeing the white, blue-rimmed eyes now."

"Great. I'm sure she won't fear that at all... from either of us. Can we talk about something else?"

Lauren smiled, "Of course. What do you say that from now until we leave tomorrow we just focus on each other."

"That sounds like a perfect idea."

 _ **THE NEXT DAY - THE FOREST OF THE LAND OF THE WHITE WITCHES**_

As they approached the lake, Lauren could feel Bo's grip tighten. She smiled knowing that her wife was still not too keen on landing despite several reminders that Aurora would not fall, break a leg, hit the water or land in a tree. As expected, the Pegasus touched down perfectly, barely jostling the pair at all.

Lauren dismounted, and then helped Bo slide off as well. They unpacked the horse in silence before working together to cool and wipe down Aurora before sending her off to greet the rest of the Pegasus herd gathered by the barn.

They walked hand in hand through the woods in the direction of the main battlefield, both agreeing it was probably the right time of day for war games. Bo was the one who finally broke the silence,

"Are you okay? You're awfully quiet."

Lauren pulled her to a stop, "I just... I don't want things to change between us now that we're home. I mean, I know that adding Lulu and Kenzi to the mix will bring about some obvious changes, but this connection I feel now... I just don't want to lose it. Does that make any sense?"

Bo pulled her close, wrapping her arms around her waist, "It makes perfect sense and I have no intention of losing this connection. Is something else bothering you?"

Lauren shook her head, a scowl upon her face, "Something feels... off. I can't place it."

"The energy is different here and I can already sense that some of it is a bit negative. I guess we're just used to a solid week of positive bliss in the Land of Light."

Lauren nodded, "I guess that's it. I just want to have some alone time with you and Lulu right now, but I'm afraid we're going to get drawn right into drills. I'd love the chance to ease into things again."

Bo agreed, "I'm with you there, Lolo but I have a feeling reality is going to hit us right between the eyes when we exit the forest."

The blonde nodded, her eyes downcast before she looked up at Bo and thrust herself into the brunette's arms. She pulled back gently before leaning up to gently kiss her wife's lips. Bo deepened the kiss before pulling back, breathless, her forehead against Lauren's,

"Promise me we will not stop doing that."

Lauren smiled, "I promise."

"You ready?" Bo asked.

Lauren sighed, "As I'll ever be. I am anxious to see Lulu."

Bo smiled, "I'm with you on that point. I miss my little Belle."

The brunette held out her hand for the blonde to take, "Let's go."

 _ **Battlefield, The Land of the White Witches**_

As they exited the wood, the two stopped all movement. Their eyes traveling the vast battlefield scanning the area,

"Where did all of these people come from?" Bo asked.

Lauren shrugged, "I have no idea but there must be..."

"... Thousands." Bo finished.

The blonde nodded in reply, "So who are all of these people?"

"I have no idea... Lauren, what's going on here?" Bo asked, but they were distracted by the sound of their daughter's voice.

The pair turned to see the little girl running towards them with both Kate and Dara giving chase, stopping only when they saw Bo and Lauren had emerged from the woods. The couple chuckled when they say the pair of warriors slow to a stop, relief overcoming their features as they slammed their swords into the earth and leaned over them to catch their breath.

The youngster ran full tilt at Bo, hurling herself into her Mother's outstretched arms, "Momma! I missed you so much!"

Bo clung to her daughter as if she were her lifeline, tears filling her eyes as she gazed at her wife over the tiny shoulders of the child in her arms. She smoothed her wild dark hair down against her head as Lauren joined the hug.

The brunette looked up at her wife, "Something is happening..."

Lauren watched as rays of white light emanated from the pair. She stepped back, "Bo?"

"No need to worry, my daughter. They are merely completing the power bond that began while they were apart."

Lauren turned to the voice of the leader of the White Witches, "Jadis, what's happening to them?"

"It's called The Joining and it happens between all White Witches and their offspring." Jadis replied with a smile while she watched the two cling to each other.

Lauren shook her head, "But Bo is a Succubus and Lulu is... well, we're not sure what she is yet but she is Fae, not a White Witch. How can this be happening?"

"Doctor Lewis, I really am surprised that you are not at least processing what's happening between Mother and Child rather than just reacting to it. If we are to be victorious in the battle ahead, we will need both Lauren the Changeling and Dr. Lewis, the Doctor."

Lauren sighed, running her fingers through her hair before shoving her hands deep into the pockets of her jeans,

"It's interesting... while Bo and I did discuss things that would interest the scientific persona in me, I felt very little inclination to science while we were away."

"Well, you were changing, so I'm sure other things were preoccupying your mind. How do you feel now?"

Lauren looked at Jadis, then back to Bo and Lulu who were now gazing into each other's white orbs and smiling,

"It's the bond. As I took on the qualities of her Succubus, so has she taken on the qualities of my White Witch and Valkyrie."

Jadis gave mixed gesture of a head nod and a headshake, "You are somewhat correct, though it is much more than that. If you were to draw the blood of your two patients, you would find they are now very much different than before. I'm sure you felt it after the bonding occurred. You are changed, Lauren. You, Bo and Lulu are different down to the very last strand of DNA in each of you."

"But how is that possible?" Lauren asked, "I mean, surely we can't alter the very essence of that from which we were created."

"And yet you stand here before me very much a Changeling and no longer Human. Have you not been curious about your own DNA?" Jadis asked.

Lauren gave a tight smile and a chuckle, "Wow, I really have been neglecting the scientist in me. I haven't even thought to draw deeper conclusions about what had happened to me at the cellular level. I mean, I knew that our eyes had changed, but I just... I made assumptions. I would never have assumed anything before. It's scientifically negligent to do so."

"Ah, there she is..." Jadis smiled, "...the scientist. The doctor. The woman who obsesses over the 'why' and the 'what if' to determine the potential 'outcome'."

Lauren nodded in reply before turning to her family, "So, by bonding with Bo, I changed her DNA and since Lulu's DNA is Bo's DNA our bonding changed hers as well?"

Jadis nodded, "In my world, it's more mystical than that, but since we have not concluded our lessons, we will settle for your explanation using human science for now."

"I'd like to understand..."

Jadis placed a hand on Lauren's, "Daughter, does it really matter what happened? Look at your wife and child. What do you see?"

The blonde turned smiled at the display of love between a Mother and her child, "You're right. The only thing that matters is that we're home with Lulu where we belong."

Lauren turned towards the battlefields, "Where did they come from, Mother? Bo and I were shocked by the sheer numbers we found when we emerged from the woods."

"They've been arriving since your bonding."

"How did you... how did they know we bonded?"

Jadis smiled at Lulu causing Lauren to smile and nod, "Of course. She went through a change as well."

"Your love forged an army, Lauren... an army that has been growing by the day. Your bond energy is quite powerful."

Lauren nodded, "Bo sensed when the change was happening to Lulu. Was it terribly hard on her?"

"The separation from her Mother was what caused her the most pain initially. The feeling of the power that came with the changes coursing through her veins, made her difficult to control. Bo had you to distract her. Lulu was alone, so she has been... energetic... shall we say?"

"What do you mean by power?" Lauren asked.

"Bo and Lulu now carry the white energy from you and this realm as well as the lineage of their Fae blood and yours. It's a great deal of power for one so young to possess and control." Jadis explained.

Lauren watched the troubled look play out across the usually flawless complexion of her Mother, "You're worried."

Jadis shook her head, "Yes and no. The Hunters will likely sense this insurgence of power in the Universe. Since they cannot longer locate Bo and her offspring, they will likely try to trace the source of the energy. When they learn that they are no longer on the earthly plane, they will try to seek them out. Luckily, they cannot get here and even if they could, they could not access this world. They would be left to drift in space time."

Lauren nodded, "Are you sure Hades doesn't have the power to break through the portal to this world? He did break through the portal to Earth, after all."

"This is a heavenly plane, child. Hades is from the underworld. Any higher being can descend, but no lower cast being can ascend beyond the earthly plane."

"Well, that's something I guess." She looked back to the field of warriors, "So, who are all of these people?"

"They are the warriors of the Prophecy... including your Fae friends." Jadis said, unsure of how Lauren would react to the news.

"My Fae friends?" Lauren asked.

Jadis nodded, her mouth open to explain until they were interrupted,

"Doc! Hey, Doc!"

Lauren inwardly cringed before turning towards the voice, "Hale?"

"It's good to see you, Lauren."

The blonde scowled, "Good to see me? Really? Is it your plan to gain entrance to my Mother's lands and steal me back to the Light Fae?"

"What?"

"Oh, don't play dumb, Hale... I mean, Ash..." Lauren spat.

Hale waved his hands at Lauren, interrupting her, "Naw, it's not like that, Doc and I'm no longer the Ash. I've had it with the Elders. I tried and tried, but in the end, they couldn't see reason. I tried dressing the part, I tried their diplomatic approach, I tried being their 'yes man', but in the end my conscience caught up with me. Being the Light Fae's lackey is not who I am. As a matter of fact, it's everything I'm not. You were right, Doc... so I left."

Jadis intervened, wanting Lauren to hear all that had transpired so she would give the former Ash a chance,

"Lauren, the Fae have divided since your departure. Hale and your friend Vex led a group of separatists who believe the Prophecy is real. The remainder of the Light and Dark are sticking to their opinion that the Prophecy is a farce. We don't know what has become of them. They may all be dead by now."

Hale scowled at the thought. His Father had stayed as well despite he and Val begging him to listen. Shaking off his thoughts, Hale smiled up at Lauren, "It would have done us no good to stay in the colony, so we rounded up the troops and brought them here with the help of Bo's Amazon friends."

Lauren nodded, giving him a tight smile, "So that's how you found your way to this plane." She turned to Jadis, "How are they alive?"

"Selia notified us of their coming when she was informed by her people. We went out to meet them. When we saw their large numbers, we lifted the veil and allowed them all through. We then cast a truth spell over the entire group to search for perpetrators. We're safe, Daughter. I promise you."

The blonde nodded before turning back to Hale, "Are Dyson and Ciara here? Mark? Val?"

Hale nodded, "They're all here, Doc and I promise you, they're here to support you and your family. Congratulations, by the way. I hear you got hitched."

Lauren wasn't sure how to react to this version of Hale. The man she had fought beside against the Garuda and Hades seemed to be here, but she couldn't separate her feelings from the Ash he had become... and how he had treated her before she'd left. Therefore, she simply nodded in response.

"Just a nod? That's it? I mean, you married your childhood sweetheart. It's gotta be bigger than a nod, right?"

Lauren sighed, "Words cannot express how happy I am in my new life, Hale. However, you'll have to forgive me if I can't suddenly shift gears and forget my old life... the enslaved life I lived for years... the life I lived with you as Ash. You know, I thought that after all you and I had survived together..."

She paused, struggling to find the words she wanted to use, "I guess I had actually relaxed a bit after you were named Ash. I thought I would finally gain some autonomy... some respect... and a reasonable degree of freedom in the Fae world. But honestly, Hale... my servitude under you was even worse than the time I'd served under either previous Ash. I'm just not sure I can just forget..."

"That I was a complete and total ass? That being the Ash turned me into a power hungry hypocrite who treated a friend like the way most Fae treat Humans? That I forced you into submission, acted as your Master and cast you aside like chattel?"

Lauren steeled her eyes in his direction, "Yes. All of that and much, much more."

Hale nodded, "I am here to earn your forgiveness, your trust and your friendship... in that order. I'm sorry, Lauren... I should have led with that, so I'm sorry for that as well. Congratulations. When you have a chance, stop by the guest Yurt behind the Meeting Place. Ciara and Dyson are staying there... with little Kara."

"Kara?" Lauren asked.

"You've been gone a long while in Earth time, Lauren. Dyson and Ciara had a little girl and she's pregnant again."

Lauren frowned, "That's... great. How long have I been gone?"

Taking off his hat, Hale rubbed his head, "Almost three years, Doc."

The blonde's eyes moved to the ground, her mind racing with thoughts of lost time until Jadis leaned over and reminded her,

"You have not lost three years of your life, Daughter. Look at all you've gained since leaving the Earthly plane."

The White Witch pointed towards the battlefield and all that surrounded it before turning Lauren back to Bo and Lulu. The blonde smiled,

"I'm happy for Dyson and Ciara. I'll catch up with them later." She looked up at Hale, "Thank you... all of you... for coming. I'm sure you all did so at great risk to your own lives. If the Fae found you, I'm sure you would have been captured and imprisoned. I wish you luck in the coming battle and hope you all know what you have signed up for."

Hale nodded, "We are well aware of what we face. We have spent the past month training with all of the groups that have gathered here to support The Chosen One so... well, I guess you could say we are all very well schooled in the big bads we're going to go up against and... well, we're cool with whatever goes down."

Lauren nodded, "Well, thank you again."

The three stood awkwardly together for a moment before Hale added, "I guess I'll just... uh... be... ya know... heading back to train. I won't interrupt the reunion between your wife and her daughter. That one's a little spitfire, I'll tell ya. Anyway, tell Bo I said congratulations. See ya around."

Lauren gave Hale a tight smile and a nod as he jogged off to the crowded field. The blonde watched him walk away, memories of the Fae and her time with them overshadowing any positive thoughts of what her life had become until she felt a hand on her cheek. She looked up to see Lulu reaching out from Bo's arms,

"Mom?"

Lauren smiled, "Yea, Lu. It's so good to see you, sweetie. How do you feel?"

"Better now that you and Momma are home. Did you need me to hug you too?"

"Well that would certainly be nice." Lauren replied with a brilliant smile.

Lulu fell from Bo's arms into Lauren's, and immediately wrapped her arms around her, "You smell like Momma now... like fresh baked cookies right out of the oven with a hint of vanilla."

Lauren smiled at Bo as Lulu spoke, "We're a real family now, huh?"

The blonde nodded, "We are."

Lulu smiled brightly, "I'm really, really happy."

"Your Momma and I are really, really happy too, sweetie."

"I think we should celebrate with the new kind of ice cream I like best now."

Lauren turned to Jadis who was now joined by Shyla, "I guess we're heading off to the dining yurt for a little family celebration."

"Go child. Have fun with your family." Jadis replied, placing an calming hand on her sister's arm as she moved forward to speak. She raised a finger to her lips, silencing her before nodding to the small family, "Allow them this time. We can spare a few days to give them their bliss."

Shyla nodded as they watched the three venture off towards the dining yurt.

Bo asked, "So what's this new ice cream flavor you have fallen in love with in my absence?"

Lulu moved between her Moms, taking their hands as they walked the trail.

"It's Vanilla Chocolate Chunk mixed with Rocky Road!" Lulu smiled, jumping up and swinging between her two Moms...

"Well that sounds like two favorite flavors." Bo laughed, looking up at Lauren before the pair turned their attention back to their little girl...

 _ **THE LAND OF THE WHITE WITCHES, DINING HALL**_

Lulu took a heaping spoonful of ice cream and shoved it into her mouth. She looked up at Lauren who was sitting across from her and smiled, her face covered with chocolate, dripping down the corners of her mouth and onto her chin,

"How about we take smaller bites, Lu?" Lauren asked, looking at Bo who was gripping her head, "Bo?"

The pair looked at Lulu who was now holding her mouth, "It's so cold it hurts the roof of my mouth."

"That's why Lauren told you to slow down, Lu." Bo replied.

"She's Mom now, not Dr. Lauren." Lulu corrected.

Bo looked up at Lauren, "Sorry."

"It's okay, Bo. A lot has changed. I think we're all going to need to take some time to get used to our new life."

Lulu groaned, holding her head, "Brain freeze."

Lauren pulled the bowl of ice cream away from Lulu, "Let's take a break, okay?"

Lulu nodded, "So how did you like the Moon?"

Lauren and Bo shared a confused glance before turning back to Lulu, "We didn't go to the moon, Lu."

"Sure you did, Momma. Kenzi told me you took your Honeymoon. Lauren is your honey and you took her to the Moon on Aurora."

Lauren laughed, "So that's what you thought the Honeymoon was all this time?"

Lulu nodded, "I figured since you guys were gonna get gross with all the kissing stuff, Kenzi wanted you really far away where no one would have to listen and the Moon is as good a place as any for that."

Smiling, Lauren explained, "Lu, a Honeymoon is a vacation that couples take after they get married to spend some time alone and... uh... reflect... on the life they are about to embark on together."

"That sounds boring, except the vacation part. I told Kenzi I wanted you guys to go to that Land of Light because the pictures in the books look really cool. Then she said you were going to the Moon, so I thought it's what you wanted."

Bo smiled, pulling Lulu onto her lap and giving her a squeeze. She sighed, enjoying the feeling that being close to her daughter gave her. It was like a warm fire was burning brightly in her heart,

"We did go to the Land of Light, just like you wanted, Lu."

"But Kenzi said..."

Bo shook her head, "Forget what Kenzi said. Lauren and I went on our Honeymoon to the Land of Light and we had a great time."

Lulu nodded, "Yea, well that bonding thing was super intense."

Bo frowned, "Did it hurt?"

Lulu thought for a moment, "Hurt? Uh... no, not really... but it felt... empty. I felt really alone even though I knew that there were people everywhere taking care of me."

"I'm so sorry, Lu. I should have come back for you." Bo replied, looking up at Lauren, "Sorry... I..."

"It's okay, Bo. I understand." Lauren replied, though she did have to admit, the comment stung a bit.

"Jadis explained what was happening and we read about it in the White Witches Mysteries of the Universe book." Lulu leaned over to Lauren and whispered, "Don't worry, I kidnapped the book from the library for you so you could read it. It's a-mazing!"

Lauren chuckled and whispered back, "Thanks, Lu."

"Anyway, if you woulda come back, you guys wouldn't have your bond and then you and I wouldn't have figured out all of our powers. Mom made us complete, Momma. It's her gift to us to make us all a family and to help us beat the bad people."

Bo smiled, looking up at Lauren, "I like that."

Lulu smiled, "Me too."

Bo gave Lulu a squeeze before tickling her belly. She smiled hearing the familiar sound of her daughters' laughter. She had missed it so much while they were away. Lauren smiled at the familiar interaction between Mother and Daughter that she'd become so accustomed to over their time together. Lulu turned around in Bo's lap and sat down, gripping her face with both of her tiny hands, something Lauren found absolutely adorable. Lulu always did this when she wanted Bo's undivided attention.

"So, tell me about the Land of Light, Momma! Was it as cool as the pictures? Is the sky really like a gigantic rainbow?"

Bo smiled, taking her little girls' hands in her own, "It was amazing, Lu. Lauren and I must have told each other a hundred times that we wished you were there."

"Mom."

"What?"

"You called her Lauren again. She's my Mom." Lulu scolded.

Bo looked at Lauren, "I'm sorry, Lauren. I..."

"It's okay."

Lulu turned to her Mom, "You have to stop saying that. It's not okay when Momma forgets stuff like that. I know it hurts you, so it's not okay. You should say something like... apology accepted... this time. That way, eventually she'll remember... but you'll probably have to accept a bunch of apologies until she does. Her brain forgets a lot."

"Hey!" Bo protested.

"What? It's true! You've called her Lauren to me instead of Mom how many times in like an hour?"

Bo sighed, "Fine. How do you know it hurts Lauren?"

"Because you tell me it does. You say sorry because you know it hurts her. So why do you do it?" Lulu asked.

Bo frowned, "I don't mean to, Lu. I just..."

Lulu placed a finger over Bo's lips and shook her head, "I don't understand couples... like Kate and Tamsin. Why do couples always hurt each other over and over instead of fixing what they do wrong? If you love each other, you change the things that hurt each other. I looked it up. It's called 'compromise' or... well... maybe that's the wrong word, but... you have to protect each other's heart. Momma, you don't think about Mom's heart when you talk. You have to carry Mom's heart with you everywhere you go so you think before you talk. That way, you don't hurt her feelings, 'cause hurting her feelings hurts her heart. Get it?"

Bo smiled, "How did you get so smart?"

"My Fae school, you, Kenzi and Mom." Lu replied, matter-of-factly, "So tell me about the Land of Light!"

"It was amazing, Lu. It was like a gigantic watercolor painting all over the sky. The water was perfectly clear and you could see all of the sea creatures just by looking into the water. I told Lau... your Mom... that I could imagine the two of you looking up every single one of them in your books. We really wished you were there, Lu."

"Me too." She looked over her shoulder at Lauren, "Did you like it too, Mom?"

The blonde smiled, "I did and your Momma is right. There are so many species I've never seen before... and plants too! We could spend months there and learn so much, Lulu. You would love it!"

"When can we go?" Lulu asked.

Bo and Lauren looked at each other, both knowing that there was a battle to fight before they could make plans to return for a vacation,

"After we take care of the bad people, Lu. When they're gone, we'll go to the Land of Light and so many other places." Bo replied.

"You promise?"

"I promise.. Just like promised I would always protect you from The Hunters, remember?"

Lulu nodded, cuddling into Bo's chest. The brunette looked up at her wife and gave her a soft smile. Lauren sighed, smiling back. Reaching out, she took Bo's hand from across the table. They sat there, together as a family.

 _ **ONE WEEK LATER... LAND OF THE WHITE WITCHES, WAR COUNCIL HEADQUARTERS**_

"Ysabeau, we have invited you and Lauren here today to discuss..."

"The war. It's a war council meeting. We get it." Bo replied.

"Bo." Lauren began, but the brunette shook her head,

"What's going on? You've been dodging and whispering all week long since we got back."

Jadis nodded, "It's true. We have been avoiding the discussion. We wanted you to have time as a family... Lulu needed family time and so did the two of you. Unfortunately, we cannot avoid the discussion any longer."

"Lay it on us." Bo replied, taking Lauren's hand in her own.

"Some of your relatives arrived here just before you."

"My relatives?" Bo asked.

The door to the yurt opened drawing everyone's attention. The two people that entered brought Bo to her feet. She kept a hand on Lauren's shoulder using her as her anchor before she finally was able to form the words that were running through her mind,

"Trick? Is that... Mom?"

"Momma's home, baby girl and we're gonna have a hot time in the old town tonight! Whoo!"

Bo watched as the woman walked to the end of the room, sat down and put her feet up on the meeting room table. Trick shook his head before walking to the chair next to her.

The look in her Mother's eyes was not familiar to Bo. Her eyes were wide as a smirk played out across her face. She looked... agitated, at best as she spoke,

"So? When are we gonna go and kill them all!?"

Bo slowly sat back down in her seat, whispering to Lauren, "That's my Mom who is clearly bat shit crazy."

Lauren whispered back, "While that's not the clinical definition of her diagnosis, it will definitely do for now."

Bo slumped back in her chair, shaking her head, "Not the family reunion I had in mind."

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_


	9. Chapter 9: It's Time

**A/N:** _Welcome to the new readers, followers and reviewers. Sorry in advance for mistakes. I'm sleepy so am not proof-reading before I post. I was hoping to get the Witches back in time to use Halloween somehow, but not sure I'll get them back to Bo's lands by then. Fingers crossed that real life allows me time to play in this fantasyland before October 31_ _st_ _for some spooky fun. I hope you enjoy the latest._

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 **Chapter 9: It's Time**

"Jadis, can I talk to you outside for a moment?" Bo spoke directly to the leader of the White Witches before turning to her Mother and stressing, " _Alone_?"

The woman turned to Lauren whose eyes begged her to give her wife a moment. Jadis sighed before turning to Bo,

"Yes, my child."

The woman turned and walked towards Bo, pausing only for a moment when she heard Aoife speak in a low voice,

"Your child? She's _my_ child."

Unfortunately, Bo heard the comment as well. Before anyone could stop her, she had both hands on either side of Aoife's chair, her eyes blazing white as she spoke

" _Your_ child? _YOUR_ child? Being your child would insinuate that _you_ actually raised me! That _you_ actually pretended you gave a _damn_ about me when I was growing up! Being _your_ child – a _Fae_ child – would have meant you would have given me _some_ clue about who and what I was so I wouldn't _kill_ a boy! A _boy_! He never had a chance to grow up because _YOU_ didn't do your job. Don't you _dare_ call me _your_ child! You are _nothing_ to me!"

"Ysabeau!" Trick scolded, but Bo wasn't in the mood to hear from the old man.

She turned on him and sneered, "Don't you dare pretend to have any authority over me... not ever, but especially not in this yurt. You left me with my parents. You could have taken me, but you left me there. When he was banished to the Underworld, you could have found me, taught me, been a grandfather to me and a great grandfather to Lulu, but you didn't even try to find me. I never left McCorrigan lands. You knew where to find me, but instead, I had to wait... I had to fight for my life and my daughter's life... alone.

She looked back at her Mother, the wood of the armchair cracking under her grip,

"So, no... neither of you get to call me your child or daughter or grand daughter or any other term of affection. You're not my family. Lulu, Lauren and Kenzi are my family. Selia, Deeana, Sabrina, Jadis, Kate, Tamsin, Acacia and many more... it's these women that are my sisters... my extended family. Because it's these women who have taught me... taught my daughter... gave life to my wife... a life beyond anything you and your Light Fae buddies ever thought to offer her..."

"Lauren was treated with respect. She was..."

"She was a slave! Don't you dare pretend it was anything else! If she were treated with respect, she would have felt like an employee in any Human hospital for a woman with her knowledge, skill and standing as a physician. Did you allow her to choose her specialty? Did you offer her a paycheck? Did you allow her to determine when she would or would not work overtime? Did you allow her to go out and do things that any normal Human would do during her off hours? Oh, no... that's right... she didn't have any time off!"

She slammed her hands down on Aoife's chair, before turning to exit with Jadis. She looked back at Lauren who gave her a soft smile, then nodded to Selia who was casually walking over to take the now vacant chair next to the blonde. As she settled into the chair, Selia gave her friend a nod in return, pulling her knife from its halter and leaning back in her chair. Bo could only chuckle as she watched her Amazon friend twirl the weapon through her fingers before pulling an apple out of her jacket pocket and beginning to peel it.

She smiled wide, whispering to Jadis, "If there was ever a question as to why, that is why I love Selia."

Jadis nodded, "She does have a certain... presence... in a room."

Bo laughed as they exited the yurt, "She does and she has even more of a presence on a battlefield."

"I've noticed that as well. All of the Valkyrie have had a nice view of her battlefield presence from their backs."

"Oh I wish I could have seen her take own Tamsin and Acacia."

Jadis smiled, "She's powerful. Her command of the elements is unmatched by even my own sisters. The Amazons are an honorable people as well."

"It sounds like you're a fan." Bo replied, though Jadis was aware it was more of a question than a statement of fact.

"I am, Bo. I thank you for introducing me. I believe we will have a long, mutually beneficial alliance."

Bo smiled as they walked around the outside of the yurt and down one of the many dirt paths into the woods that surrounded the property. The winds were cool, as always in this land, but Bo was used to the cold so she welcomed the chill. Somehow, it helped to remove some of her anger.

"So tell me, child. Did we come out here just to take in the beautiful scenery of our land or was there an actual conversation we were going to have?"

Bo cleared her mind, shaking her head, "I'm sorry, Mother. I was just allowing the scenery to help me to relax... gather my thoughts for a bit. I was quite... emotional back there and that's usually not good for anyone.

"I've heard a lot of your Mother over the centuries and saw much of her since she arrived here. Today was the first I've heard or seen of her displaying fear. Your energy is potent, child. She surely felt that and I believe she will be quite different when we return. But tell me, what troubles you?"

Bo came to a stop and pressed both hands into her jacket pockets. Jadis waited patiently behind her, taking a seat on a nearby boulder. Bo stared out across the expanse of woods, looking at the way pillows of snow topped each of the branches. She thought of Lulu and how she loved to run through the trees with her arms outstretched to the sides. Her voice echoed through Bo's mind,

" _Look, Momma! I'm making it snow again! Come on! Try it! It's fun!"_

Bo reached up and pulled on a branch, releasing it with a snap so she could watch the snow cascade off the branches to the ground. She smiled, reminded that everything she was doing today... this whole war council meeting and dealing with her Mom and Grandfather... it was all so that Lulu could have a future... so that she and Lauren could have the future they'd both dreamed of in their childhood. She turned to Jadis,

"This battle. Do I get any say in how we approach it?"

"What do you mean?" Jadis asked.

"I mean, when I left the focus was on my training – mine, Lauren's and Lulu's. Now we have Amazon tribes, Valkyrie, Fae rebels, White Witches and anyone else I haven't yet been introduced to out there. While I'm grateful to have all of these people on my "team", I don't understand what the focus of the war is anymore... and why are my Mom and Grandfather here? What do they want? What do they expect to do? What do they expect to gain from being here doing what they're doing?"

"That's a lot of questions, so let me try to narrow it down and tell you what you really want to know. You are The Chosen One, Bo. It is written that you and you alone will defeat the great evil that comes. We believe that to be Hades or a group of his strongest minions if he is not yet capable of assuming corporeal form."

"This new energy of mine. Will it feed him? I mean, if Lauren and I are in the area, won't the Hunters sense it and use it?"

"Actually, that's where your Mother comes in, child. I hate to say it, but she knows how to deflect that drain. It's how she survived for all of those years in the same house with Hades. In addition, your Mother is marked. When we're ready, she'll enter the old house and he will try to come to her... or at least send his Hunters to her."

"Look, my Mom didn't win any Mother of the Year awards, but the last thing we need is a powerful Succubus to be under my Father's control."

"Agreed, but she said that he has never been able to possess her – even when he was at his strongest. She is confident that with a proper... diet... leading up to the battle, she'll be strong enough to resist possession."

"Diet?"

Jadis shrugged, "She's been in an asylum, child. She needs to feed properly and there are plenty of Valkyrie who have offered themselves to her."

"Horny bitches."

"Your Mother is an attractive woman." Jadis smiled.

"Oh please don't tell me you've..."

"Oh, no. Despite recognizing that she is attractive, she is not my type."

"You mean because she's out to lunch, bonkers, loony tunes, one card short of a full deck, three fries short of a happy meal, one banana short of a bunch..."

"... I wouldn't put it quite like that, but yes, I like my women a bit more... sensible."

Bo laughed at Jadis' political correctness, but understood.

"Anyway, what is the rest of this army planning to do?" Bo asked.

"Well, that is why we assembled the war council meeting, child. The last report we received from the Valkyrie was that your lands have been completely overtaken by The Hunters. The remaining Amazons have settled into the house with Sadie and the staff at the Mansion. They have the help of several of my sisters as well, so the house is well fortified."

"What's to stop Hades from possessing those that live in the house?"

"Powerful White Witch spells mixed with Amazon White Magic and Valkyrie Runes. It turns out that the first time your Mother banished Hades, she'd hidden gallons of his blood for a rainy day. When she let that little piece of information slip, we knew we had a powerful defense, so we took immediate advantage of it so we could keep possession of the portal."

Bo nodded, "We cannot lose access and control of that portal."

"We knew you would feel that way which is why we acted so quickly." Jadis replied, "Bo, this is your battle. The rest of us are just trying to position ourselves so that we can be of the most help. The Prophecy lists those who will be part of your group when you take on whatever evil awaits you, but it does not account for who will battle The Hunters to get you there. They've grown to numbers you could not possibly take on your own. You will need the army that has assembled here, but more importantly you will need them for the reason they've assembled here."

"Well, the _why_ is exactly what I don't understand, Jadis. Those Fae friends of Lauren's weren't so quick to defend me. As a matter of fact, they held both my child and me captive, and then locked my daughter in a cage while they forced me to fight for my life. Then, after I defeated their Underfae, they tried to force me to choose a side. They fought over who would get to own the powerful Succubus. They wanted to add us to their collection right along side of their brilliant Human doctor. So, you'll excuse me if I don't see them doing this out of the goodness of their hearts."

Bo sighed and pulled on another tree branch. She took deep breaths in and out as she watched the snow flurries slowly fall to the ground. She thought of Lulu and her laughter when they would play outside in the snow. The image relaxed her at least a little bit.

"How do I know they're not here to take me and Lulu back to the Light Fae? How do I know they won't enslave Lauren again? They all follow the orders of the Elders. I saw it first hand. How do we know they weren't planted here to capture us and take us back? How do we know that they didn't do all of this to gain access to your world? You said that your people and the Fae have a history."

Jadis nodded, acknowledging Bo's point of view before she spoke, "I understand your concern, Ysabeau. But if they were misleading us, they would never have made it through the veil. You must know by now that the boundaries to our world have the power to read the soul. If they were not true to their word, they would have died on their way in here."

Bo nodded her understanding and turned to walk further into the woods, her fingertips brushing the edges of the pine needles that hung from the boughs heavy with snow. Suddenly, she stopped and turned to face the mentor she had grown to respect and admire,

"I don't know how to make this right... I mean... in my head... and in my gut. These people are... well, I don't know what they are and maybe that's the problem. Then there's Trick and now my Mom... I just don't know what I'm supposed to do with them. Their presence here makes me all... fidgety."

"Fidgety?"

Bo huffed, rolling her eyes and turning back towards the path, "I don't have a word for it. They just put me off. I don't trust them. I don't know if I'll ever trust them. How am I supposed to go into battle with these people that the Prophecy says I need when I can't trust them?"

"Can't?" Jadis asked as she moved closer, "Or is it just that you won't, Ysabeau?"

Bo stared into the cloud-like eyes of her mentor, searching for the answer to her question, "Maybe a little bit of both? Honestly, I'm not really sure."

Jadis nodded, "Then I would ask you this, Daughter. Do you trust your wife?"

Bo's head snapped up, "Of course I do. Without hesitation."

"Well, then might I suggest you follow her lead? She knows all of these people whom you seem to struggle to trust... well, all except your Mother."

Bo sighed, "This is what Selia meant when she told me the bonds of matrimony are always tested."

Jadis cocked her head, "Child?"

Looking up at Jadis, she spoke, "I want to trust Lauren's judgment on this... I really do... a good wife would do just that without hesitation."

"But?"

Shrugging her shoulders, Bo replied, "But she lived with them for a very long time. She was forced to believe in them because she had no one else. What if her judgment on this is clouded by her past living situation?"

"And what if you judgment is clouded by your previous living situation?"

"Mine? What do you mean by that? I wasn't enslaved."

"You'll beg my pardon if I disagree. You have been enslaved by your circumstance your entire life. It was the Fae family who birthed you and raised you who left you in your situation - a situation in which you were forced into hiding - living as if you didn't exist and invisible to the real world. Your daughter has been raised the same way – isolated to the point she has no school, no neighbors, no friends, no exposure to the outside world. She has lived as a slave with you."

Bo stood speechless, staring at the White Witch, "I... uh..."

Jadis smiled, "It's okay, Child. You take some time to take that in. I'm going to head back to the War Council meeting and make sure no one has killed your Mother. Her mouth tends to get her in trouble around here."

As she turned to walk away, she felt a gentle grip form around her wrist. She turned back to find Bo staring at her, teary eyed,

"I don't want my daughter to grow up enslaved by her circumstances... the ones that come just because she was born to me. It wasn't her fault. She didn't ask to be born let alone born into my crazy ass family. Please, Jadis... I need... your help."

Jadis fought the urge to chuckle at the Succubus heeling to her own pride, "Then you shall have it, Child. You are the wife of a daughter and, by your marital bonds, a White Witch yourself. However, I do have one expectation..."

Bo went to speak, but thought better of it. Taking a deep breath, she redirected her thoughts and replied,

"Name it."

Jadis smiled, "Trust your wife... completely."

Bo nodded and returned the smile, "You have my word that I will work on my trust issues."

Jadis nodded, "Then come, we have much planning to do before we depart for your family lands and the battle for our very existence."

The White Witch turned and began to walk down the trail while Bo shrugged, "Well, you don't have to be such a drama queen about it... I mean, our very existence? Really?"

She dropped her arms to her sides with a heavy sigh before following Jadis back towards the yurt.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

As they entered the yurt, Jadis immediately inserted herself into the seat next to Aoife while Bo sat on the opposite side of her wife, giving a nod to Selia,

"Welcome back, Sister. We were all just getting acquainted. Apparently your uh... birth Mother... felt a need to question your Wife. It seems she may not think she is... good enough... for you." Selia eyed Aoife cautiously as she spoke, "But, I dare say your Wife has likely convinced her that she is all you will ever need."

"Really, Bo. A Changeling? They are a freak of nature! Every Fae will hunt her to the ends of the earth. Her very existence is an abomination to the Fae."

Bo laughed, "Why, Mom? Because she's more powerful than all of you?"

Trick spoke, "Lauren, you know the Fae will not accept your new form. They will..."

"What, Trick? Enslave me? Throw me in the dungeon? They've already done both of those. Will they try to kill me now? I'm sure they'll try and to that I say, let them... let them come."

Bo turned to look at her wife, the Changeling fully present. She could see the muscles of her jaw flex as the blonde bit down hard, grinding her teeth in anger while she strained to hold back a physical attack on the Barkeep. Placing a gentle hand on Lauren's hand, she felt her forearm relax as her grip on the chair arm loosened. Bo turned her attention to her Grandfather,

"Trick, when you came to my home, you had promised your support of The Chosen One. Has your allegiance changed?"

The Blood Sage moved his eyes from Lauren to Bo, "Wh-what? No. No, of course not. You had my blood oath that I would protect you and yours, but..."

"... and Lauren is my Wife." Bo stated emphatically, "If you try to hurt her in any way... if you do not conceal and protect her as you would my daughter or me, you break your Blood Oath and..." she turned towards Jadis for confirmation as she spoke, "... if I'm not mistaken, you die."

Jadis smiled, giving Bo a slight nod before turning to Trick, "Blood King, I certainly hope you have not taken advantage of our hospitality, training and planning during your stay with us just so you would have an opportunity to threaten my Daughter Lauren."

She turned to Aoife, "Surely the two of you have come here for some other purpose."

"I came to fight beside my Daughter... to rid her life of Hades once and for all." Aoife replied with a smirk.

"You'll forgive me if I find that hard to believe after all of these years, Mommie Dearest." Bo replied, with a smirk of her own.

Aoife sighed, "I believe we've gotten off on the wrong foot..."

"Where have you been?" Bo asked.

"Excuse me?"

"It's a simple question. You left me to fend for myself after you made sure my marriage to Rainer was all arranged. Where have you been?"

Aoife shrugged, "Here and there."

Bo looked at Trick, "Were you or were you not in an asylum as I've been told?"

"I was... but I found the accommodations to be... below the station of the daughter of the Blood King. I mean, I am a Princess."

Bo laughed and Trick rolled his eyes while the rest of the room remained silent.

"Mom, how do you expect to take down my Father? Clearly he managed to survive the first time you tried to rid this world of him." Bo asked.

"I plan to follow you into battle." Aoife replied, "Two Succubi are better than one."

"Yea, well I'm not a Succubus." Bo replied.

Aoife scowled, "You are a Succubus. Whatever else is in your DNA doesn't matter. We are the same."

Bo shook her head, closing her eyes as her temper flared. She was nothing like this woman. She would never abandon Lulu – no matter what. She would never allow her to live in the same home with someone who controlled her every move. She would never have married someone like Hades. She stood, opening her eyes to gaze upon her Mother. The Succubus' eyes went wide as she was met with the eyes of the Changeling,

"I am much, much more than a Succubus or a Blood Sage. You know nothing of who or what I have become."

Aoife stood, though Trick reached out and grabbed her wrist, "Aoife... I told you..."

"Shut it, Daddy. She is my daughter."

Bo laughed, "You gave up any rights you had as my Mother the day you left me alone to fend for myself... the day I killed Kyle and you didn't tell me what I was or how to control it."

"Oh, boo hoo. One Human will not be missed by..."

The room went still when Lauren stood up, her chair falling back, eyes blazing white. Bo stepped into her path, shielding her when Aoife's eyes flared blue,

"If I were you, I'd put those baby blues away, Mom. My wife is much, much more powerful than you or anyone in this room except maybe me and I would not hold her back. You forget... Kyle was her best friend... my best friend. You were wrong not to tell me... teach me about the Fae... about what I would do to him if I allowed things to get... to go... too far."

"Humans are..."

"What?" Bo demanded, "Beneath us? Food? I've had enough of the Fae and their superiority complex! Humans have as much right to life on this earth as the Fae or any other species. Get that through your head, Mom."

The Succubus stepped forward, smirking at her daughter as she twisted a curl on the end of her long hair, "Or what?"

Lauren leaned past her wife, reaching out a hand to touch Aoife's arm, her eyes glowing white at first before changing to a brilliant blue. The blonde smirked, taking a deep breath as her eyes dimmed back to white,

"Or that." Lauren replied.

Aoife stood, confusion twisting her facial expression, "Wh-what?"

Lauren kissed Bo's cheek, "I'm sorry. I just..."

Bo turned and kissed the blonde softly on the lips before whispering, "It's okay. Sometimes adults are the ones that need to be taught the lessons."

Lauren returned to her seat next to Selia, the Amazon's gaze fixed on the blonde's profile, "What did you do?"

The blonde's jaw remained stern as she spoke, her eyes still fixed on Aoife, "What needed to be done."

Jadis turned to Lauren, "Child, what have you done?"

The blonde turned to her Mother, "Her aura... it's wrong. I did what I had to do to protect The Chosen One. She is a threat."

Jadis slowly turned towards Aoife who was now stumbling backwards,

"What did you do to me!" She spat, falling into the chair.

Trick ran to her side as Bo turned towards her wife, "Lauren?"

"She is not who she claims to be, Bo."

The brunette walked to her wife, "What do you mean?"

"There is a shadow around her aura. This is not your Mother. I took her power."

Bo knelt before the blonde, "What do you mean?"

Lauren shrugged, "I mean that whatever power was in her is gone."

"How?"

The blonde looked down at her hands, "She felt threatened by you... her aura changed to black... I had to protect you... it was... an instinct... barely a thought... I just... reacted. I just knew that if I touched her, she couldn't hurt you... that the blackness would be gone."

Bo felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned to see Jadis looking down at her, "The blackness she describes... Lulu saw it earlier this week. She didn't trust her. Shyla looked it up in the old texts of the Ancients..."

"What did she find?" Bo asked.

"Hades."

The two turned their gaze to Lauren, "It was Hades. He possessed her... or a part of him... one of his Hunters."

"But... she's alive. I thought he could only possess the dead?" Bo asked.

Lauren shook her head, "Like I said... it's not really just a Hunter. I sensed something more."

Bo nodded, "It's okay, sweetie. You did what you had to do. Thank you."

"I had to protect you."

"I know. It's okay."

Bo stood, placing a soft kiss on her wife's forehead before giving a nod to Selia who placed a hand on Lauren's shoulder, drawing the blonde's gaze. The pair smiled at one another as Bo walked towards Aoife,

"When did you last see Hades?"

"Wh-what?"

"Answer me! When did you last see Hades?"

"Wh-where am I?" She looked around the room before looking at Trick, then Bo, "Daddy? Is..." she looked up at Bo, "Is this... my daughter?"

"Oh, cut the crap, Mom. When did you last see Dad?"

The older brunette looked at Trick, "Daddy? Where are we? H-how did you find me?"

Trick gave his daughter a long look before he finally spoke, "What is the last thing you remember?"

Aoife looked down towards the ground, then back to the Blood King, "I got pulled into the portal..."

Trick looked at Bo, "I don't think she's making this up, Bo."

"I thought she was in an Asylum?" Bo replied.

Lauren interrupted, "I think her physical body was there, but whatever had possessed her had blocked her mind. That entity is gone now."

Bo turned to Lauren, "Is it... in you?"

Lauren smiled and shook her head, "I took her powers into my own... just the powers... no part of her physical or mental being has joined with me."

"So where did it go?" Bo asked, a hard gaze landing on Aoife.

"It's... gone." Lauren replied.

"Just like that?" Bo asked, turning back to her wife.

Lauren nodded, "It was a spirit of sorts, so it would move into the beyond."

"And if it was my Dad, did you just free it?"

Lauren shook her head, "I would not have the power to excise such a powerful being, but without the use of the hosts' powers, the spirit possessing her would stand no chance against anyone with even Fae powers."

Bo sighed, turning back to her Mother, "Mom, what do you remember after being pulled into the portal?"

Aoife shook her head, her eyes beginning to close, "I'm so... tired."

Gripping her shoulders, the younger brunette shook her, "Mom, stay awake. What do you remember?"

"I... I..." She slumped over in the chair, passed out from fatigue.

"Lauren?" Bo asked.

The blonde stood and walked to her wife's Mother, checking her life signs, "She's sleeping. I'd imagine that being a mere human now would take its toll on her stamina."

Bo turned to Trick, "Did you have any idea she wasn't... herself?"

Trick ran his hand back and forth over his head, "None. I'm as surprised as you are."

Bo nodded looking to Selia, "It's time, my friend. We cannot wait any longer."

The Amazon Queen stood, "I shall ready our troops for battle."

"Thank you." Bo replied, turning to Lauren, "Let's go see Lulu and Kenzi."

Lauren shook her head, "Bo, you need to meet with your team."

Bo nodded, "We will. Lulu and Kenzi first, okay?"

"Okay."

Bo took Lauren's hand before turning back to Jadis, "We leave tomorrow."

The White Witch nodded, "As you wish, Ysabeau."

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

"Hey Lu!"

"Moms! You're back!" Lulu jumped into Bo's arms, "Did you make nice with Great Grandpa?"

Bo smiled, "I did my best, Lu."

"And Grandma? Did you... like her?" Lu asked.

Bo sat down, pulling the little girl onto her lap. She glanced up at Lauren before looking back at her daughter and asked,

"What did you think of her now that you've met her?"

Lulu shrugged, "Do you want me to be honest?"

"I do." Bo smiled.

Hesitating for a moment, she replied, "I don't really trust her. She doesn't look right."

"What do you mean by that, Lu?"

"She looks... wrong. Her aura is black sometimes."

"And what is it other times?" Bo asked.

"Other times she doesn't really have one... like The Hunters."

Bo nodded, "Well, I think that your Mom fixed that... sort of."

Lulu turned her focus to Lauren, "You did?"

The blonde nodded, "I did, sweetie. She can't hurt anyone now."

Lulu smiled, "That's good. Aunt Kenzi said she creeped her out."

Bo laughed, "Where is your Aunt, anyway?"

Lulu rolled her eyes, "She and that Hale guy are off making goo-goo eyes at each other again. They just stare at each other all day. It's really gross."

Bo and Lauren laughed.

"What? It is! Even you guys weren't that bad." Lulu pouted.

"Well, when did your dear Aunt say she would be home?"

Lulu shrugged, "That's why Dara is standing outside with the other Valkyrie. Do I have to have these protectors all around me all the time? I'm suffocating, Mom."

The two mothers shared a glance and a smile before Bo replied, "Okay, my little drama queen..."

"I'm not a drama queen! I'm serious as a heart attack, Moms! I don't have any time by myself. Remember? I'm used to being alone! All these people around me all the time is crowded!"

Lauren looked at Bo who gave her a soft smile and a knowing look before she whispered quietly to her daughter, "You didn't pass your defense test again, did you."

The youngster remained silent, staring at the floor before leaning into Bo and closing her eyes. Lauren stared at her adopted daughter before looking up at Bo and shaking her head. The blonde leaned in towards Lulu,

"Lulu, it's okay to not pass a test once in a while. You don't have to be perfect."

"But you passed all of your tests. Tamsin told me when we first started that it would be a piece of cake... that if Lauren could pass all of her tests on the first try so could I, but I didn't!"

Lauren gave a heavy sigh as she rolled her eyes at the stupidity of her Valkyrie sister. Tamsin had probably meant to be encouraging, but she had unknowingly set the bar impossibly high for a young child who had no experience in the Fae world.

"Lu, you can't possibly compare my tests to yours. I'm older and have much more experience..."

"No excuses, just results. That's what Momma says, right?" She looked up at Bo who replied, shaking her head,

"Belle, that's about chores and homework. This is completely different kiddo. Your Mom is right. You have no experience with your powers and they are constantly changing as they grow. You're young, Lu. Give yourself a break. You'll pass them eventually, I promise."

"I won't." Lu replied, "I can't pass their tests."

"What? Why not?" Bo asked.

"I can't pass their tests!"

"Why not, Lu? Lauren said your powers are incredible when she was training with you this week." Bo replied.

"If I use all my power, I'll hurt someone, Mom."

Bo frowned, "What?"

Lulu jumped down from Bo's lap, waving her arms as she spoke, "Mom, I'm powerful... like really, really powerful! I don't use all of my power! If I defend myself, I'll hurt them! They don't understand!"

Lauren looked at Bo, "I didn't know she was holding back."

"It's okay, Lauren." Bo said to her wife before turning back to her daughter,

"Lu..."

"No! Momma, you don't understand. I can't control it." She replied, waving her arms around as she pleaded with her Moms to listen to her.

Lauren took the little girls' hands in her own, ceasing her movements, "Lulu, can you show us what you mean?"

Shaking her head vigorously, she replied, "No way. I'll hurt you guys."

Bo smiled, "I think we can handle ourselves, sweetie. I'd really like to know what you can do."

Lulu shook her head, but Bo was persistent,

"Lu, listen to me, sweetie. We're leaving in the morning to fight my Father and The Hunters. The time is now, Lu. We need you... I... need you. It's going to take everything we have to defeat him and if you haven't tried to use them, how will you know how to help us?"

The little girl's eyes filled with tears, leading the two parents to wrap her in their arms, "It's okay, Lulu. We're here and we're going to help you."

They waited until Lulu loosened her grip on the pair before they released their hold on her. Lulu tugged at her collar, a move that made Lauren smile as it reminded her of Bo. She then looked up at the pair,

"Okay, but not in here. Come on." Lulu said, taking each of them by the hand and leading them from their yurt.

They had walked for almost thirty minutes when Lulu finally brought them to a stop at a field near the lake. She looked up at Bo and Lauren,

"Okay. We should be safe here." She reconsidered, "Well, everyone else should be safe. I'm not so sure about you two."

Bo smiled, "Lu, I promise you we'll be okay. We've learned a lot about our powers while we were away and had plenty of time to practice since we've returned. Together, we're pretty much indestructible and apart, we can heal each other if need be. We become whatever the other needs."

Lulu looked up at Lauren, "You'll protect my Momma? No matter what?"

Lauren knelt in front of her daughter, "You have my blood oath. I will protect your Momma until my dying breath."

Lulu shook her head, "You can't die. You can't protect her if you're dead."

The blonde raised her eyebrows, "That's true. I stand corrected."

Lulu nodded, rubbing her hands together, "I'm nervous."

Lauren kissed her cheek, "Trust us, Lu."

She looked up at Lauren and nodded, "Okay. Here goes."

The couple stood behind the little girl who reached her arms out in front of her, directing her focus towards the open space in front of the field. Bo and Lauren watched as the veins in her arms began to turn red, her hands glowing like embers from a fire.

"Bo, is that..."

"My power to use my blood, succubus and Hades projection power, yes."

"I haven't seen her use that power all week." Lauren replied.

"Now I understand. It's a dark feeling to use my Father's power. It feels like I'm going to lose control of my soul. For her it must be..."

"...terrifying." Lauren finished.

They watched in horror as large blasts of lightning-like electricity emanated from the little girls' hands. While Lulu had brought them to a very large expanse of land, it wasn't enough as the streaks of orange light reached the trees in the distance and ignited a fire that spread quite rapidly.

"Lulu! Stop!" Bo commanded, reaching out to place a hand on the child, but one touch launched the brunette through the air and onto her back.

Lauren glanced at Bo, making sure she was okay before she reached out, instinctively gripping her daughter's forearms, redirecting them upwards towards the sky. She instantly felt her powers kick in, absorbing the power into her own body through her touch.

"Lauren, no!" Bo screamed, watching as the two she loved most in the world seemed fused together by the scarlet electrical field. She stood helplessly watching as Lulu's blood-red eyes probed Lauren's white eyes. Bo stood, walking slowly towards them watching the silent battle play out over what seemed like an eternity. Their power seemed to flow back and forth, each taking from the other until they both collapsed to the ground together, the light extinguished.

Bo ran to the pair, her eyes moving nervously between her wife and child until finally, Lauren began to stir,

"Bo?"

"Gods, Lauren are you okay?"

She looked down at her daughter, "Lulu!"

Moving immediately into doctor mode, the blonde sat up, checking the young child's pulse, "She's just unconscious."

"Lauren, what was that?"

The blonde pulled Lulu into her arms, checking her hands and arms for damage. Seeing none, she held her as she looked up at Bo through tear-filled eyes,

"I tried to stop her... I'm so sorry, Bo."

"Sorry for what? What happened, Lauren?"

"I used my power to... to take hers, but she resisted."

"The power you used on my Mom to take a Fae's powers?"

Lauren nodded, "Lulu has that power as well. She tried to drain mine, but... well, it was sort of a tug of war until she weakened."

"So you have her powers now?" Bo asked.

The blonde looked down at the child in her lap, "I'm not sure. I know that I have something of hers but I'm not sure what."

"You don't know what you took?"

Lauren shook her head, "I can only guess, Bo. I take the active power and since she has multiple powers, I'm not sure what she was using at the time. Remember that what I take doesn't become an active power for me. If it was, I might be able to identify it."

They both looked down as Lulu began to awaken, "Momma?"

"Hey, Belle. How are you feeling, sweetie?"

"Did I hurt you?" Her eyes went wide and she sat up straight, "Mom! Did I hurt Mom?"

"Hey, kiddo. I'm right here and I'm fine."

Lulu frowned at Lauren, "I told you I'm dangerous!"

Lauren gave her a smile, "I'm okay, Lu. Now, tell us how you feel."

Lulu thought about it for a moment before she looked between the two women and replied, "I feel... good. I feel... happier."

"Happier?" Bo asked.

Lulu giggled, "Yup. It feels happy in me."

Lauren smiled, "Do you remember what happened?"

Both women sighed as they watched the happy face of their little girl turn to a frown. She shrugged before she looked at Bo,

"Sorry, Momma. I lightning bolted you."

Bo ran her hand down one of Lulu's arms, "It's okay, sweetie. It takes more than a pesky old lightning bolt to hurt me."

She turned to Lauren, "Thanks for stopping me. I remember the voice talking to me, but you stopped it."

Lauren scowled, "What voice, sweetie?"

"The voice I hear when I use all of my powers."

"What did this voice say?" Bo asked.

Lulu turned to Bo, "It told me to let it burn."

"Have you heard this voice before?" Bo asked, glancing at Lauren who looked just as worried.

Lulu nodded, "When the mentors push me to use all of my powers. I can hear his voice and he always wants me to burn it all down."

"He?" Bo gasped out. She looked at Lauren, "My Father."

Lauren nodded, gripping Bo's hand tightly before turning back to Lulu, "Do you hear his voice any other time, sweetie?"

Lulu shook her head, "No. I don't like his voice. He's a bad man. He wants me to do bad things."

Bo looked at Lauren, then at Lulu, "Belle, can you call up that power again and not use it?"

"No, Momma. Not again. I'm not doin' it ever again, please don't make me!" The look of panic on the young girls' face as she gripped Bo's hands tugged at her heart, but the brunette needed o know,

"Lu, I'm not asking you to use the power. I'm asking if you can ease into it until you hear the voice and then stop. Can you do that?"

The little brunette nodded, pushing the curls from her face, "I'll try."

The couple watched as she focused, her eyes beginning to turn a pale orange before they stopped and she giggled.

"Lu?" Bo asked. She smiled in response to her daughter's giggle. She always did. It was difficult to resist.

"It's not there, Momma. The bad man voice is gone. It just feels like a happy place now." She giggled, "It tickles. It feels like the happy I feel now that Lauren is my Mom."

Bo looked at Lauren, giving her a knowing grin. The blonde gave her a modest nod, knowing that she had succeeded in removing the active power that Lulu had just described.

"That's good, kiddo. Now, can you focus on that little vanishing trick that the White Witches taught you?"

"Huh?"

"I want to see if you can go to the water and back as fast as you can." Bo asked, wanting to make sure that her daughter still had active powers to defend herself if anyone came for her.

"Wanna race me, Mom?" Lulu asked Lauren who gave her a chuckled.

"Sure thing, Lu."

Bo knew what was coming next and she laughed as the pair went through the routine. Lulu had asked Lauren what she and Bo had watched as kids and the blonde had told their daughter that the loved Power Rangers. So, Lulu had worked up a little White Witch version of the famed group's 'go cheer' for her and her new Mom. This was one power Bo hadn't inherited through their union, but she loved watching the two have something that was purely their own. The truth was, she couldn't have picked a better second parent for Lulu and the brunette loved watching the two of them together.

"White Witches, unite!" The said together at the conclusion of their chant, both raising this fists into the air and bumping them together.

"Say the on-your-marks thing, Momma!"

"Okay. Get set ladies! On your mark, get set, go!"

Bo crossed her fingers that Lulu would actually vanish and heaved a sigh of relief when she did. As quickly as they were gone, they arrived back where they started, Lulu grinning with surprise that she arrived before her Mom.

"I won!"

Lauren winked at Bo and used her Changeling strength to toss Lulu into the air, catching her in celebration.

"You certainly did, Lu! You are quite the speedster!"

"I bet I could even beat the Flash!"

Bo laughed, "Someone is watching entirely too much TV."

Lulu shrugged as Lauren lowered her to the ground, "Well, I don't have my fireplace and my electronics boxes, so what else is there to do?"

"We brought your whole library, Lu... well, most of it anyway."

"I've read all of the books in my library and all of the books in the White Witch's library too! My eyes are too tired to read anymore."

"I find that hard to believe." Bo replied, feeling guilty that she had taken her daughter from the life she'd been used to, "Are you unhappy here?"

"I just miss home. Are we going back soon?"

Bo hesitated, "We were supposed to go back tomorrow. Now I'm not so sure that you're ready. I never had any intention of taking you back until the battle was over."

"But Amara and Aris told Aspera and Shyla that..."

"I know what they told them, Lulu. I'm just not one to believe in the Twins of Fortune's visions." Bo looked at Lauren, "In this family, we make our own destiny."

"Yes, Ma'am." Lulu replied, her head down.

Lauren cleared her throat, looking at Bo before she turned to Lulu, "Lu, what your Momma means is that the twins predict outcomes or conclusions and the path we take to those endings are up to us. They may have seen glimpses of you in a battle, not the battle. We don't know which glimpse equals which ending. If we did, they'd be able to tell us exactly what we're supposed to do and when we're supposed to do it."

Lulu pondered Lauren's comment for a long moment before she looked up at Bo, "So how do you know tomorrow is the day we should go? Why now?"

Bo shrugged, "Earlier today after meeting with my Mom and Grandfather, I just... I just knew it was time."

"So why do you think it might not be time now?"

"Because I didn't have all of the information that I have now." Bo replied.

Lulu crossed her arms over her chest, "You mean you didn't know about my powers then. You can't change your plan just because of me, Momma."

"If I'm taking you along, then yes I can." Bo replied.

"So you will take me?" Lulu asked, excitedly.

"Only if we delay our departure." Bo replied.

Lulu hung her head, "Everyone's all ready to go. When you tell them we're not, they'll know it's because of me. They'll think I'm weak."

Bo lifted her daughter's chin to meet her eyes, "You are not weak, Lulubelle and everyone here knows that. You've kicked all of their butts more times than anyone can count. Why do you think Dara isn't alone on guard duty anymore, huh?"

Lulu's eyes went wide, "Really?"

Bo smiled, "Really. You've become quite powerful... you said it yourself. You're dangerous."

Lulu scowled, "I don't want to be dangerous. I don't want to hurt people."

Bo nodded, "I don't want to hurt people either, but I am dangerous when someone tries to hurt my family and friends. Does that make me bad?"

"No, Momma. You only hurt bad people."

"And so do you. You're dangerous to bad people and not dangerous to good people. Being able to pick who we are a danger to is what makes us strong."

"And smart too, right?"

Bo laughed, "And smart."

"So are we going?"

Bo looked at Lauren who shook her head. The brunette gave her a slight nod, "We're going to wait and see what happens with your powers. I think you are going to go through some Mom tests before we leave. When you pass our tests, then we'll go."

"I hate tests." Lulu replied.

"Me too, Lu, but they're important for us to know you are ready to handle yourself if the Hunters come after you. We need to make sure they can't use your powers like they did before, right?"

Lulu nodded.

"Now, what do you say we go tell the others to stand down?" Bo asked.

"I'll tell them. I'm the reason we're waiting, so I'll be the one to tell them."

"Lulu..."

Bo didn't have a chance to finish. Her daughter was gone. She looked up at Lauren and before she could get a word out, the blonde was gone as well. Bo was sure her wife had gone to support her daughter when she told their army to stand fast, but as she looked around, she realized she was a long walk from home and by herself. Standing, she wiped off her pants,

"It would have been nice if one of them had thought to give me a lift."

Sighing, she headed back towards the village.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

Bo was second-guessing her decision to travel by treetop back to the village. She was out of practice which had also meant the calluses on her hands were gone other than those from handling a sword. She could only imagine what Selia would have to say if she had been traveling with her. Still, the knowledge of the weakness in her training would be helpful now that the army was standing down. It would give her time to get back into fighting form for her lands. She was slowly developing a plan of attack in her mind. The Hunters had never been able to defeat her when she fought from the trees. They did not possess such skill and she knew from the Amazon reports that they had not acquired any new battle plans since their departure. They still came at their prey full force like mindless zombies, throwing themselves onto swords with reckless abandon.

She stopped perched high atop a single tree and looked down at the White Witch training ground. It was time for Lauren and Lulu to learn all that she knew about fighting like an Amazon. She would have Selia train them as she had trained her. Deeana was already training their daughter Seera, so it only made sense that Lulu train as well. Bo had spent years trying to shelter her own child from a war that she now knew was inevitable. Sure, she had survival skills, but she now had some pangs of regret over never having taught her daughter to fight. All of the time spent here would have been much easier on the young Faebling if she had.

"I see you're finally getting back into the swing of things, huh Bo?"

Bo smiled before turning towards the familiar voice, "And I see you're still making bad Tarzan jokes, huh Selia?"

"You were the one raised among Humans with that stupid movie legend."

Bo turned to face her friend, "So, did you come to argue with me about standing down the army?"

"No, I came to find you when Lulu and Lauren remembered they had left you behind. When you weren't on the trail that Lulu said she had taken, I figured you might be traveling the old way. It's about time."

Bo smiled, "I was actually just thinking about that, my friend."

Selia looked down at the brunette's hands, "It would seem you're out of practice."

Bo nodded, "It would seem so. A mistake for sure... one I intend to correct in the coming days so I'm prepared to fight my way on my lands."

"And that is why I won't be arguing about you standing down the army."

"What is?"

Selia smiled, taking a seat on the limb. Bo sat down next to her, waiting for her to speak her mind. She always respected the Amazon Queen's opinion. She was the one person who could always make her see another side to every story.

"When I had heard we were leaving in the morning, I had sought your council to determine why such a rash departure. It was not a choice I agreed with, though I would have followed your order regardless."

"And I would have hoped you would have expressed your disagreement before we'd left."

Selia shrugged, "Maybe I would have, but it is more likely I would have not. You are The Chosen One, Bo. I will follow your orders into battle regardless of my own instincts. We all will. For that reason, I hope you will be sure to think through the choice to depart. Many lives are at stake and while we are all well aware some will be lost, it would be foolish to accept that possibility as fact and make a choice that led to that end without cause."

Bo nodded, "I understand."

"May I ask what changed your mind? Lulu seemed like she was going to tell us why, but Lauren interrupted and told her the reason did not matter. The only thing that did matter was that The Chosen One had made the decision to wait until further notice. That was all anyone needed to know. She's very protective of you."

Bo smiled, "She is, but in this situation, she was actually protecting Lulu."

"Ah, I see. You held back the army because Lulu is not prepared."

Bo nodded, "I watched her burn down an entire forest, Selia. I know the witches will grow that forest back, but the damage she did and how easily... how quickly she did it was... terrifying. The worst part was that she warned us before we forced her to use that power. She told us she had been holding back and we needed to know what could be unleashed if my Father was able to tap into her power again like he did before we left. When I saw what she was capable of, I had no choice but to stand down our army and wait to learn more about my daughter's abilities. If he had access to her power, he could wipe us all from the face of the earth and possess my child completely."

Selia sat silently listening to her friend's revelation.

"This morning, Lauren gave the first demonstration of a power we learned of while we were away on our honeymoon."

"If you're talking about your Mother, we've all heard. Word of your wife's ability to make a Fae into a Human traveled quickly when Aoife's entire demeanor changed. I must say it would have been nice to have her abilities in our corner when we go to battle."

Bo nodded, "She can do that as well. I'm just not sure if I trust my Mom with her powers now or any time in the future. Lauren sensed... something and considering what she is supposed to be to me according to the prophecy, I'd be crazier than my Mom not to follow her instincts. It's her decision as far as I'm concerned."

"Understood."

They sat silently for a moment before Bo looked at her friend, "Will you train Lauren and Lulu?"

"I believe the White Witches have chosen their mentors and..."

"This is my wife and child. If they both agree, and I believe they will, I'd like them trained in the fighting styles of the Amazons. They've received training by the other two groups..."

"Three."

"What?" Bo asked, confused.

"You said two groups. There are three."

"How are you counting three training protocols?" Bo asked.

"The ways of the White Witches, the Valkyrie and the Fae."

"The Fae?" Bo asked.

"Dyson, Hale, Vex..."

"I know who they are. Since when are my wife and child spending time with them?"

Selia turned to her friend, "Lulu's training with them began a few days after they arrived. Lauren's the day after you returned from your honeymoon when you resumed your training with the White Witches about the Aurora Transitions."

Bo rolled her eyes, "Yea, since that's going so well. My first day on a Pegasus was a disaster. It's funny to think that I used to live on a farm and ride horses every day."

Selia smiled, "You did very well when we trained you on horses. I would think a Pegasus wouldn't be much different."

"Yea, that's what I thought. But the wings kick up a bit of a breeze and their temperament is completely different. They're not as stiff, they turn and dive at much more extreme angles, so you've gotta hang on for dear life. They can sense the rider, so if you don't like them or they don't like you, forget it. You'll get bucked off in a matter of moments after mounting up."

"Sounds like a challenge." Selia replied.

Bo nodded, "I still think I don't have enough Valkyrie in me. I think they know I'm a poser."

Selia chuckled, "Well, I will train your wife and daughter if they'd like to learn our ways."

"Thank you, my friend."

"What is your plan for this battle, Bo? You know that I'm with you no matter what, but do you have a plan?"

"Tell me... if a small group of Amazons were with me, Lauren and Lulu in the trees do you think The Hunters would be distracted by the rest of the army on the ground?"

Selia smiled, "I think we can work with that. Did you know the White Witches have the ability to mask a person's true identity?"

An idea hit Bo causing a devious grin to break out on her face, "I think we finally have a game plan that can solve all of our concerns. A quick and decisive battle with as little loss of life as possible on our side."

"And a peaceful return to the grave for the reanimated dead?"

"May they rest in peace." Bo smiled, "Come on, let's go see what that group is arguing about on the battlefield."

Bo nodded to where a group from every faction was gathered in the center of the snowy open space, arms flailing about and voices raised. What could possibly be the problem now?

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

Tamsin shouted, "We should leave tomorrow! She's second-guessing herself! She has no experience in battle. We need to push her to follow her instincts!"

Dyson replied, "I agree with Tamsin. Bo has no battle experience. She's scared and unsure of what she's doing. We should leave tomorrow. We'll handle Hades. We've handled him before."

Jadis shook her head, "The decision belongs to Ysabeau. If she is telling the armies to stand down, we stand down."

Tamsin shook her head, "Acacia, tell her!"

Acacia stepped in, "Jadis, clearly the majority of soldiers are ready to march. Why stand them down now?"

"Acacia, I'd like to speak with you privately, please." Jadis replied, folding her hands into the long sleeves of her gown and turning to walk away.

Dyson protested immediately, "I see your game, crone. You intend to cast doubt over Acacia's faith in her right hand and the wolf who has fought by her side to sway them to Bo's decision, but we're on to you. This is not your battle to control. You are not one of us. You are but a witch."

 _ **Meanwhile...**_

Bo and Selia walked along the sideline of the field until they reached Deeana and Lauren who were standing together with Kenzi, Lulu and Seera. The two youngest warriors-in-training were fighting each other with wooden swords, laughing as they tumbled and jumped around each other. Their skills were truly impressive for their age. So caught up in being a spectator of the contest, Bo didn't hear Lauren calling her name until the blonde nudged her,

"Hey. You okay?"

Bo turned to her wife, "Sorry, I was caught up with how impressive their skills are. It's been weeks since I watched her train with a sword."

Lauren smiled, "She's been working with Seera on all of the things that Amazons learn. Lulu is apparently an amazing Tracker as well."

Selia and Bo shared a glance before the brunette turned back to her wife, "Funny you should mention that since I just asked Selia if she would train you and Lulu in the ways of the Amazons."

Lauren hesitated for a moment before admitting, "Actually, Deeana has been training me to fight from the trees and Seera has been working with Lulu from the lower limbs while we trained on the higher limbs."

"Oh. You failed to mention." Bo replied, glancing at Selia who seemed just as surprised by the news.

"It's been a long time since my wife has participated in any battle training. I'm happy to hear she has been working with you. She is a gifted warrior, often besting me if I'm being honest. Since Seera was born, she has mostly been a Mother and teacher to her. There are many lessons of our legends and lifestyle our young must learn."

Bo was surprised at this admission, "Really?"

Selia nodded, "It was Deeana who single-handedly held off a group of Hunters while I was able to save your daughter. Our roles could easily have been reversed."

"Regardless, the outcome was what we all wanted." Bo replied, her eyes traveling to her daughter, "I will remain forever in debt to your family for all you have done for us..." moving her gaze to Selia, she added, "... and continue to do for us."

Selia gave a slight bow to her friend, "It is an honor to serve The Chosen One."

Bo slapped her friend's arm, "Do not call me that. You're my friend and will always remain so despite any title bestowed upon me by a Prophecy."

The pair chuckled, before the Amazon Queen turned to Lauren, "I will check in on your progress... and Lulu's as well. My wife is more than competent, but I'm sure she must be distracted by these two while she's trying to work with you."

Lauren smiled, "I would appreciate any help you can offer. I love it in the treetops. It's peaceful up there."

Bo and Selia nodded in agreement, but Selia felt a need to remind the Changeling, "Just remember that when the battle is being waged, there will be no peace, but rather a fight to regain that peace."

Lauren nodded her understanding, "Lulu needs her homelands back and the Amazons need a place where they can live if they'd like to stay."

"But..."

Lauren shook her head, "We won't take no for an answer, Selia. Bo and I talked about this while we were away on our honeymoon. The Amazons have done so much for Bo's family lands while we've been gone. It's the least we can do."

"If it weren't for your sister tribes, my home would have been overrun by The Hunters in a matter of days after we left. It's because of them that we will have a home to fight for at all."

Selia stood silent before the pair, unsure of what else to say. She opened her mouth to speak, but closed it, shaking her head slowly.

Bo reached out and placed a gentle hand on her arm, "There is plenty of space and a huge mansion that will make a great meetinghouse for your people when they visit. No one is obligated to stay there, but I want you to consider it another place that you can hang your hammock if you choose. You are and always will be my sister, Selia... Deeana and Seera as well. You don't have to say anything and I definitely do not need your thanks. You have been so many things to me and Lulu. I hope you will accept the offer and spend some time there now and then."

Selia smiled, "You'll grow tired of me visiting the cabin so often."

"But Lulu will love making you soup."

"She makes the best soup in North America."

Bo laughed, "Don't let her hear that or she'll set out to prove it's the best recipe in the world."

All three women laughed, knowing how determined the young Faebling could be before Bo nodded towards the group who now seemed to be arguing even more loudly, "So, what's going on out there?"

Selia sighed, "War of the egos, maybe?"

Lauren laughed, "If you only knew."

"Something we should know, Doctor?" Bo asked.

Shaking her head, the blonde replied, "Wolf, Valkyrie, Mesmer and spoiled rich girl voice stealer... they're all used to winning, they're all used to getting their way and none of them listen very well. I've spent most of my years of servitude working with that group."

"Well, then maybe you should interrupt this little tiff." Bo grinned.

Lauren chuckled as the three began making their way over to the group, "Tiff? If they're arguing about the decision to go or not go into battle tomorrow, there will be nothing little about this."

"Uh... Lauren? Have you ever seen Jadis do... that?" Bo asked, her voice laced with concern.

"Shit!" the blonde replied, moving quickly to the nearby circle of warriors as Bo and Selia picked up the girls and followed closely behind. They listened as Jadis spoke, seemingly in a trance-like state,

" _Господарите на Белата вештерки, внимавајте на мојот повик. Задуши го овој менувач затоа што му треба на ум неговото место во оваа земја."_

Bo watched as Lauren reached out slowly and placed a gentle hand on her Mother's shoulder. She leaned in and whispered words in a language Bo did not understand.

" _Вистина е дека волкот дејствува како расипан дете, но како се решава е одлуката на мојата сопруга."_

Bo stood watching as Dyson suddenly began pawing at his face, his eyes filled with anxiety and fear. When he pulled his hands away, the brunette could see the problem. His lips appeared to be sewn together.

"Uh... Lauren? What did your Mother do to him?"

Lauren covered her mouth to hold back her instinct to laugh hysterically. Sure Dyson was part of the team she worked with while a slave to the Light Fae, but somehow she felt like this was his just dessert being served up on a platter. He'd become the closest thing she had to a friend, but he could still be an arrogant ass sometimes. She swallowed hard and looked back to her wife to explain,

"Jadis cast a spell on him. It's an ancient spell she picked up from a Macedonian Lord when she was working as an apprentice on a cargo ship as a young girl."

Bo nodded, "While I'd love to hear about the adventures of 'Jadis the Young', I'd prefer to know what just happened to one of the key players in the plan I came up with for battle not five minutes ago."

"Great. She has a plan." Tamsin said sarcastically, crossing her arms over her chest.

Bo and Lauren rolled their eyes before the blonde explained to her wife,

"Rough translation? My Mother called to the Lords of the White Witches and asked them to heed her call to 'stifle this shifter' because he needs to 'mind his place' in this land."

"And what did you say?" Bo asked.

"I said that while it is true that the wolf acts like a spoiled child, how he is dealt with is my wife's decision."

Bo scowled, "Well, thanks for sticking up for me, but regardless of what you said, it doesn't look like they're putting much stock in my decisions these days."

Lauren shrugged, "Well, I didn't remind her of that until after she'd already cast the spell."

The blonde turned to Acacia, "What caused her to..."

Lauren didn't get a chance to finish. The leader of the Valkyrie shook her head, "Go all White Witch on Dyson? Well, I can't be absolutely certain, but it might be the fact that wolf boy over there insulted your wife before accusing her of trying to manipulate me into siding with you. Call me crazy, but that might be enough to get you in a bit of trouble with someone as devoted to The Chosen One and her Changeling as your Mother is, Blondie."

"Oh, so we're picking sides?" Bo asked.

Acacia tipped her head side to side, "Maybe, maybe not, but my girl Tamsin has apparently just switched to Team Dyson."

Bo frowned, "Teams are stupid."

Jadis came out of her trance, snapping her head to Bo as she spoke with a sense of urgency, "Unless they're Team Ysabeau, teams are, indeed, stupid. For this army to be divided in devotion and leadership before the this battle would mean death to us all."

Tamsin laughed, "You're so dramatic."

Jadis turned on Tamsin, her eyes glowing white as she opened her mouth to speak. The Valkyrie put up both hands,

"Uncle! Uncle! I surrender before your power oh divine witch!"

"I think you should zap her anyway, Jadis." Bo replied, crossing her arms over her chest and giving Tamsin a smirk.

"Hey! I'm part of your battle group! You need me!" Tamsin begged, shaking her palms at the pair.

Bo stepped towards Tamsin, stopping next to her wife to place a light kiss on the blonde's cheek before she turned to speak to the younger Valkyrie,

"Tamsin, get this one thing straight in your head - in my family, we make our own destiny. Besides, it's a Prophecy, not a battle plan. It simply states who will be part of my life when I enter the battle. Beyond that, you all have free will and I suppose anything that's prophesized would take that into account. So you take the warriors who agree with you and do what you wish, but know this... you will fail against my Father without me."

Tamsin nervously adjusted her stance at Bo's words, again crossing her arms across her chest as Bo continued,

"If you do choose to follow me, know that I will not go into battle with people who think they have any say in the decisions I make in this fight. What I need are people I can trust to stand by me and follow orders because they've decided it's my word they will follow. All you are doing by second-guessing me in front of our army right now is instilling doubt in the army we have worked so hard to build. Doubt will create weakness in our forces... weakness that my Father will take advantage of as soon as he smells it. That means that anyone not standing in solidarity with me will easily be possessed by my Father's power."

The Valkyrie replied, "But you have to admit that you are second guessing..."

"Stop, Tamsin! You're the one that's second guessing my decision to hold on our attack! I've made a decision! You are either with me or not. Stop judging and start following or leave! I only need people who are absolutely certain that they are prepared to follow me - the inexperienced Faebling - because they trust that I have what it takes to defeat Hades' power. I have my army, so feel free to join them or leave." Bo motioned over her shoulder to the group that was quickly building as she spoke with finality, her voice booming across the field,

"CHOOSE!"

Jadis, Selia, Lulu, Seera, Kenzi and Kate slid behind Bo and Lauren. Tamsin watched as more and more White Witches and Amazons moved to join the ranks of those loyal to The Chosen One. Slowly, some of the Fae and Valkyrie began to move as well. Tamsin's shoulders dropped as she watched the crowd grow.

Acacia stepped forward and whispered in Tamsin's ear, "She sure as hell sounded like a worthy General to me just then and you cannot deny the power she possesses, Tamsin. She and Lauren have returned forever changed. I know you can feel the force coming off of them and their daughter in waves."

Tamsin held Acacia's gaze as the older Valkyrie stepped back into formation behind the Chosen One. They all stood silently as Dyson dropped to his knees, gasping for air as Jadis released the curse. The blonde watched as the Wolf Shifter stood slowly and moved to stand behind her right shoulder. A group of about one hundred Valkyrie and Fae now stood fast behind Tamsin. The standoff was coming to a close and the proud warrior was clearly becoming agitated by the outcome.

"So, I think it's time for you to choose a side, Tam-Tam," a small voice spoke from the group. They all looked at Lulu who stood with her arms crossed, her head cocked to the side, "Choose carefully."

Some of the women turned away and others covered their mouths at the young Faebling's words while Tamsin's eyes traveled to meet Kate's,

"Kate?"

The Valkyrie shook her head, "I'll always love you, Tamsin but you're on the wrong side of this. Please..."

"No." She replied, cutting Kate off, clearly feeling betrayed by her girlfriend.

Bo stepped up again, "You know Tamsin, I hated your guts when we first met, then I came to trust you enough to allow you to teach my daughter. Now it seems that I may have given that trust in haste. You come to this land claiming to be a friend to the White Witches, but then you betray that friendship by siding with your Fae friends who have doubted that I am The Chosen One."

"I'm not betraying their friendship. I'm just asking them to consider that you're merely a Faebling yourself. You have no battle experience and now you tell us to arm up only to tell in another breath to stand down. A lot of us are questioning your ability to lead this battle. The fate of the world is at stake and you can't even seem to decide if you're coming or going!"

"Because new information was brought to my attention that would have made going tomorrow a dumb move, Tamsin!"

"What new information?" Tamsin demanded.

"That's none of your concern! What is your concern is that I decided that I needed to change the battle plan and to do that, I need more time to see all of the angles."

"And what? Meet with the damn War Council again? It's all talk, talk, talk for probably two years in Earth time! It's time to go back to our world!"

Acacia spoke, "Tamsin! What the hell is wrong with you? You have no authority to make decisions here and neither does Dyson! They could banish you from these lands at any time if they saw fit, so I'd suggest you shut it!"

Jadis moved up to whisper in Lauren's ear. The blonde turned to face her Valkyrie friend for a moment before turning back to look at Jadis, a surprised look in her eyes. She leaned over and whispered to Jadis, who turned and spoke to several of her sisters,

" _Оди! Најдете Aspera и Shyla. Дали ги чувствуваат периметарот. Оди!"_

There was a commotion as they moved away, the other witches spreading whispers through the crowd while the Valkyrie and Amazons spread word of the translations they'd overheard. Eventually, the words reached Lulu's ears. The curious child tugged on Lauren's pant leg,

"Mom? Where's Dara going?"

Lauren leaned down to her daughter, "Jadis sent her to run an errand. She'll be back."

"Why does Jadis want them to have Aspera and Shyla sense the perimeter? What does she think is out there?" Lulu asked, her Mom's eyebrows raising at the realization that her daughter was fluent in the native tongue of the White Witches.

"What?" Bo asked.

Lauren jerked her head towards Bo, unaware she was listening. She straightened up and faced her wife before looking down at Lulu again as the child tugged at her hand,

"Mom? Are you gonna answer me?"

"Lauren." Bo insisted, "First, how does our daughter know what Jadis is saying and second, why is she doing a whatchamacallit to the whatever it is?"

The blonde sighed, leaning over to Bo, "Jadis is having the perimeter sensed for intruders."

"What? Why?" Bo asked.

Lauren gave a side nod in the direction of Tamsin and her supporters, "They're not right, Bo... something is... off. They're too insistent about going to Earth. Something seems... different about Tamsin... and Dyson too."

Bo gritted her teeth, struggling to keep her cool as she spoke, "I thought you said this place was safe... out of reach of The Hunters. I don't understand..."

"Bo, I don't know. You have to be patient and let them do their thing." Lauren replied, placing a gentle hand on her wife's shoulder, "Please, Bo, just give them ten minutes."

Bo turned back towards Tamsin, eyeing the blonde suspiciously, "I don't like her being around my daughter and wife right now. What has she been doing? Spying on us? Testing our powers? Shit! She knows everything we can do... what Lu can do! And Dyson had access to her all week, too! He was training her!"

"Izzy, please. Try to be calm."

"Calm?" Bo replied, reining in her voice with some effort, "You're telling me that we may have the enemy in our camp and you want me to be calm?"

Lauren sighed, "We don't know anything yet. Please... Izzy... let them..."

"I know, I know... let them do their sensing thingy."

Bo crossed her arms over her chest, pulling Lulu close. Glaring at Tamsin, she suddenly had an idea,

"Lauren, what would happen if I confront her?"

"What do you mean?"

"If I remind her that just a week ago, she was Team Bo all the way?"

"I'm not sure what you mean, Bo. Sure, she was on our side..." Lauren replied, looking to the crowd of Fae, then turning her back to them so they couldn't hear or read what she was saying, "...but Dyson and the other Fae weren't. They all came here when you and I were conveniently away from this land."

"I have to know, Lo." Bo replied, turning to kiss her wife softly on the temple before whispering, "Protect Lulu if this goes south."

Bo nodded before she turned to Acacia, "Time to prove you've got my back, Valkyrie."

"Bo..." Acacia warned, "What are you going to do?"

Releasing her Succubus, Bo's blue eyes met Acacia's as she spoke, "I think it's time for a little fun, don't you? A Hunter has a very specific taste..."

Leaning towards Lauren, she kissed her neck before taking a sip of her chi, "Mmmm... I will never get tired the taste of your chi, Lolo."

"Izzy, what are you going to do?"

"A taste test." She replied before taking a step away from Lauren, extending her arms to her sides and sucking the chi of the entire group who opposed her. One by one, the weaker Fae began to drop to their knees until only the strongest wobbled on weak legs, some dropping to one knee.

Jadis appeared next to Lauren, "Daughter, we must..."

"We already are." Lauren replied, nodding in Bo's direction.

"Wha? How did she..." Jadis watched as Tamsin's knee hit the ground, her sword piercing the earth to serve as a prop that would keep her upright.

Raising her eyes to meet Bo's, her eyes glowed red as she spoke, "Ysabeau... daughter... it's so nice to see you again."

Bo's eyes flared a dark blue, tiny circles of white forming around the edges, "Let them go."

"You will have to drain them dry to force me out."

Bo stood processing his words as Lauren whispered from behind her,

"Izzy, you can't kill them. They're innocents."

Bo smirked, "Sorry, Dad, but you're not welcome in this land and you're definitely not welcome in my friends."

"You don't have it in you to kill them. You're weak!"

Bo shook her head, "All I heard was kill them. Bye Dad."

Extending her arms, Bo paused as her Father responded, "This is not over, Ysabeau!"

"You're right. It's not. Because once I free them of your hold, we're coming after you, Dad. We're coming after you to end you... and then it really will be over."

Bo was done talking. She began pulling the chi from the group as Lauren, Lulu, Acacia, Kenzi, Kate and the rest of the group stood watching in horror. One by one, they all dropped to the ground... dead... until finally, Dyson and Tamsin succumbed to the Succubus' powers as well.

Lauren shook her wife, wildly, screaming at her to snap out of her trance-like state, "Izzy! Izzy, please! Stop! Look what you've done!"

Bo looked at Lauren, then down at her daughter whose eyes were locked on Tamsin's body. Her eyes traveled to Kate who was on her knees sobbing,

"Lauren?"

"Bo, you... you killed them all."

The crowd parted behind them as a lone voice spoke, "Actually, she can fix that little problem... with her Mommy's help."

All eyes turned to see Aoife standing in the crowd of supporters for The Chosen One, her arms crossed, hip cocked,

"So, if your wife here will give me my powers back, I can show you how to bring back the dead. Whaddya say there, Doctor? It's time, dontcha think?"

Bo and Lauren stood slack-jawed, staring at the brunette, before their eyes moved to Trick who gave them a tight smile, cocking his head to the side and shrugging his shoulders.

"Shit." Bo whispered.


	10. Chapter 10: Second Guessing

_**Chapter 10: Second Guessing**_

As the adults stood arguing as to whether or not Lauren should give Aoife her powers back, Lulu ducked down beneath their circle of protection and walked towards the group of dead Fae. She stood over Tamsin for a long moment before looking back over her shoulder at the crowd of women, each trying to push their point of view while her grandmother stood snickering at them all.

She knew that since the woman was family that she was supposed to feel something for her, but the truth was, Lulu had used her sensing powers on her grandmother soon after she'd arrived. She didn't trust her and she knew they were all better off if she didn't have her powers back. Deciding it was up to her to solve this problem, she turned back to Tamsin and knelt down beside her.

She placed one hand on Tamsin's chest and raised the other to the sky. Looking up, she recited the Ancient Macedonian verse that Shyla had taught her in healing classes,

" _Аврора на северот, кралица на белите вешници, ми ја даде својата моќ за да можам да ги вратам чесните паднати и да ги избавам од разбирањето на адот, дедо ми."_

The young Fae's hands began to glow as a stream of green light descended from the sky above. She stood, her hand leaving a gasping Tamsin's chest as the glowing green haze spread across the field. One by one, the dead began to come to life, each heaving for their first breath before looking around, confused by what had just happened.

Tamsin turned towards Lulu, her eyes going wide at the sight of the glow surrounding the youngster she had pledged to protect. She watched in horror as the child finally succumbed to the drain the use of her power took on her and cried out,

"LULU!" She ran to the child's side, lifting her into her embrace, "Lauren! Bo!"

The pair were at their daughter's side in an instant,

"Wh-what happened?" Lauren asked as Bo took Lulu from Tamsin and began to breathe chi into her tiny mouth.

"Sh-she... I don't know... I just... there was blackness and then... there was light and... I looked up and..." Tamsin's eyes scanned the field, "... there was... she... she brought the aurora to the land... it was everywhere... she was... glowing."

Lauren looked up at Jadis who dropped to her knees and whispered, "Apollo. Rainer was..."

"What?" Lauren asked, pulling Jadis to a stand. She looked back to make sure that Bo and Lulu were okay before she led her Mother away to speak privately. She smiled as she heard Lulu's voice but did not stop moving away from her wife and child.

"Mommy?"

The sound of Lulu's groggy voice was all it took to bring Bo out of her Succubus haze. Tears fell hard as she pulled her daughter to her breast and held her tightly, rocking her slowly to comfort her,

"Yes, Lu. It's me. You're okay. You're okay, baby girl. You're okay."

"Tamsin?"

"You saved her, Lu. You did it, my brave little warrior." Bo replied, her lips pressed tightly against her child's glistening brow. Her eyes moved across the field to see the newly risen Fae staggering to their feet, "You saved them all."

She smoothed down the dark black hair of her daughter, unable to release her desperate hold on her daughter or the fear that had rushed through her at the sight of her lying motionless on the ground. She whispered in her ear,

"I love you, Lulu. I love you so much. Don't you ever scare me like that again."

"I had to save them, Mommy. You never would have forgiven yourself if you had killed an innocent."

The tears filled Bo's eyes again, "It's not your job to protect my soul, Lu. It's your job to live. To be smart and kind and... to grow up a normal little girl who gets to go to school and play with toys."

Lulu pulled out of Bo's grip enough to take her face in her tiny hands, "Momma, it's okay. It's not your fault."

Bo shook her head, "It's all my fault, Lu. I never should have brought you here."

Maintaining her grip, Lulu smiled at her Mom, "We have to be here, Mommy. We have to make the bad people go away so we can have our cabin back. Then maybe I can go to a school with other kids."

Bo pressed her forehead to her daughter's, "It's all I want for you, Lu."

"School? That's all?"

Bo laughed, "You're funny. I want the world for you, Lu."

"I don't need the world, Momma. I just need you and Lauren... and it will be nice to go back to our cabin one day soon."

Bo pulled her daughter back into her embrace and whispered against her hair, "Soon, Lu. Very, very soon."

The brunette's eyes glowed blue as anger raged at her Father's invasion of the land where she'd brought her daughter to be safe. They had work to do. This needed to end... now.

Lauren had given Jadis a moment to sort out her thoughts, but she was anxious to get back to Bo who was clearly very upset. Millions of thoughts were racing through the Changeling's mind, but at the forefront was how Lulu had managed to bring all of those Fae back to life. Was Tamsin right about her bringing the aurora to the land?

"Jadis... Mother," Lauren placed a gentle hand on the woman's shoulder, "I don't mean to rush you, but could you please explain what you said earlier?"

Jadis looked up at the blonde and smiled, "We were never certain, but we had felt that Lulu's Father must have been a descendant of one of the ancient Fae... what Humans called the Roman or Greek Gods and Goddesses." 

"Why?" Lauren asked.

Jadis replied, "Because the gift of foresight is rare and extremely powerful. It has always been considered a power only derived from the line of an ancient, but we were not sure."

"But what would foresight have to do with Lulu's ability to do what she just did?" Lauren asked.

"Apollo was an oracle... a prophet... _the_ prophet." Jadis replied.

"You mean the prophet who wrote the prophecy about Bo?"

Jadis nodded, "One and the same, but he is not only the God of truth and prophecy, but of healing, sun and light, plague, and much more. He had a twin sister in Artemis..."

Lauren shook her head, "The Patron God of the Amazons."

Jadis nodded while Lauren continued,

"It's as if all of the pieces of an intricate puzzle are falling into place."

"The Ancients have always loved meddling in the affairs of the lives of beings they considered to be of lesser value and power."

Lauren chuckled, "Well, there's an ancient trying to kill two descendants of the Ancients who have somehow acquired both of their powers. Let's hope the last laugh is on him."

Jadis nodded, "Let's get back to the others. My sisters should be returning from the barrier soon. We need to know how Hades managed to overtake the souls of the living."

Lauren walked beside the White Witch, "Agreed... unless... you don't think he had killed them first, do you?"

Jadis shrugged, "We won't know until we talk to the risen."

Lauren nodded before turning to the field where they had all been just moments ago, "Where did everyone go?"

"They went back to the village." Tamsin replied as she approached the pair with Kate at her side.

"Tamsin, it's good to see you." Lauren said, "It is... you... right?"

The blonde smiled, "It's me, Doc. Uh... sorry about earlier. Kate told me I was..."

"You weren't yourself, Tamsin. It's okay. Come on, let's get back to the others." Lauren replied as she walked quickly towards the village.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXX**_

"Momma?"

"Yes, Lu?" Bo replied, walking into the screened off area where her daughter was soaking in the bath she had drawn for her when they'd arrived back at their yurt."

"I need more bubbles."

Bo laughed, "Lu, you have bubbles everywhere."

She couldn't help but smile at the single twist of hair that protruded from the top of her daughter's head as she played with the small wooden boat that one of the Amazons had carved for her from a pine tree branch.

"A girl can never have enough bubbles, Momma."

Bo smiled, picking up the bottle that Shyla had cooked up for her daughter and poured it into the water.

"Look! The new bubbles are purple! I love purple!"

Laughing, Bo knelt down next to the tub, "I know you do. Look at all of these colors. I hope that Shyla taught you how to make them for when we go back home."

"Are we going home soon?" Lulu asked.

The question was innocent, but it still triggered a protective streak in Bo. She didn't want her daughter anywhere near their home until she knew what she was going to do about Hades. Did he have the ability to enter the souls of the living? Hadn't all of those he had possessed here in the Land of the Light been alive for the last weeks they'd been here? Why hadn't they tried to kill her sooner? Had Hades strategy changed? There were so many unknowns all of a sudden and Bo was feeling more uncertain than ever. One thing she was sure of was that waiting at least twenty-four hours had been a good choice.

"Bo? Lulu?" Lauren called out as she entered, surveying the area for her wife and daughter.

"Over here, Lo. Our little one is taking a bubble bath with more bubbles than water." Bo replied.

Lauren rounded the curtain and smiled before that smile turned to shock, "Oh my. That is a lot of bubbles, isn't it?"

Bo held up the bottle, "Apparently, Shyla has been teaching our daughter how to make magic bubbles. The colors... and volume... are endless."

Lauren's eyes moved from Bo's to their daughter, "Well, someone seems to be having quite a fun bath."

Lulu looked up at the blonde with her big brown eyes, the adorable dimple in her right cheek emphasized by her wide smile,

"It's awesome, isn't it? Look! There's purple and pink and green... all the colors of the rainbow!"

Nodding, Lauren agreed, "And a whole lot of rainbow it is!" she replied, smiling down at her little girl.

"Do you like my hair? I'm a uni-corn!" Lulu grabbed her hair with both hands and pulled it straight up, giving it an extra twist to make sure it was standing up.

Lauren smiled, looking at the bubbles ooze down the black strands, the multiple translucent colors gliding down the strands,

"I love your hair!"

"Do you want me to do yours?" Lulu asked, excitedly.

Lauren laughed, "I think I'll wait on bath time. Your Mom and I still have a meeting to attend before bath time."

"Oh, okay." Lulu said, her face shrinking with disappointment.

Lauren knelt down by the bath next to Bo and lifted the youngsters' chin so their eyes met, "Hey. We'll do it another time, okay? I promise."

"Pinky swear!" Lulu held out her little finger to Lauren who hooked hers into her daughter's,

"Pinky swear."

"I think when we go back to the cabin, we should do it there... you know, like a celebration when we finally get to move back home!"

Lauren nodded, "Sounds like a plan, Lu."

"Look! My fingers are all shriveled up!"

Bo laughed, "You're turning into a raisin! Come on, kiddo. Time for a story, don't you think?"

She grabbed the cup and began carefully rinsing the bubbles from her daughter's hair while Lauren began rinsing off the toys and pulling the plug on the drain.

"Two stories!"

Bo chuckled, "Fine. Two stories it is."

They finished drying and dressing their daughter while she ran off a list of possible bedtime story titles, finally settling on the two she wanted to hear by the time she was tucked into the bed, her mothers flanking her on either side.

"Do the voices, Mom!"

Lauren propped her head up on her hand while she listened to her wife tell the story of the _Three Little Witches_ to their daughter. She didn't know what Bo would decide about how they would handle the latest crinkle in their plan to defeat Hades once and for all, but she did know that this little family was something she would fight to have a life with... a long life.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXX**_

The council was once again gathered to discuss their next steps. Bo was impatiently waiting for a report from the witches who were still absent. She leaned over to Lauren,

"I thought this was supposed to take ten minutes. That was over two hours ago. What's going on, Lauren? I wish they would speak English. Something's up. They always speak English. They only started speaking their weird language when the shit started to hit the fan. They're hiding something from me. I can feel it."

"Bo, they always speak Ancient Macedonian to each other. They only speak English in our presence as a courtesy. Not all of the witches speak our language just like not all of ours speak theirs."

"None of ours speak theirs." Bo replied, frowning.

"I speak theirs and if there was anything to tell you, I would." Lauren replied.

"How does Lulu know their language?"

"She listens and learns. Your daughter is brilliant, Bo. She picks things up even faster than I did at her age. You really shouldn't be all that surprised. You already knew she was fluent in Spanish and French."

Bo shrugged, "Yea, well my family spoke French so that wasn't a surprise, but the Spanish was all Lulu." She sighed, "She really is amazing."

Lauren smiled, "She is. You did a wonderful job raising her, Bo."

The brunette knitted her brows together, "I wish that were true, but how many Moms raise a daughter exposed to so much violence at such a young age? How many Moms kill people right before their child's eyes and leave her to bring them back to life while almost killing herself in the process?"

"Bo, it's not your fault..."

The brunette turned to face her wife, tears flooding her eyes as she spoke,

"What part of any of this isn't my fault, Lauren? She was born to a monster and has been raised by that monster! Now a bigger Monster is coming to take her away. I never should have..."

"What? Given birth to such a beautiful child? Izzy, the world... your world, our world... is a better place because she is in it. Don't you _ever_ regret having created such a wonderful being. She is the reason we are in this fight... to save her... to allow goodness to survive and thrive. Her heart should be the banner you carry into battle with you, not some sort of burden of guilt you have to bear."

Lauren stood and marched off to stand with her sisters who were in a heated conversation that Bo couldn't understand. The brunette knew her wife was right, but she had always felt guilty about the life that Lulu had been forced to live because of her family. The guilt came in waves at the mere thought of all of the nights the child had been left alone while her Mom went out to feed and fight off the Hunters that had started coming from the day Lulu was born.

She sighed, looking around the room at all of the women gathered for her cause. How many would die so that she could live? What would happen to Lauren and Lulu? Would they survive the battle? She couldn't handle living if either of them died. She stood and walked around the room, taking in the face of each warrior who was ready to fight for the Chosen One until finally, the full force of what they were all willing to sacrifice was firmly set on her shoulders... along with the weight of that burden.

Standing near the exit to the yurt, eyes filled with tears, she exited the structure and began to walk. The walk turned to a jog and the jog became a run until she was sprinting for the battlefield, her heart filled with the will of ten thousand warriors all ready to defend the people who were so willing to defend her and her family. Her mind slowly formed a plan until finally, she reached the weapons yurt.

Opening the door, she entered and walked the length of the aisle, looking left and right at all of the steel, wood and leather that in some combination or another created tools that could take a life.

"Choose with your heart. Your weapon is here and it is not one you have chosen before."

Bo did not turn. She had felt Jadis' presence before she'd spoken. Instead, she heeded her words and continued to walk until she stopped, sensing a power she had not felt before. Looking up, she saw a sword and a dagger above her head mounted together on the wall. Reaching up, she grabbed the pair from the wall and turned to see Jadis holding her staff.

The Witch turned and left the yurt. Bo followed stopping in the doorway where she saw the witch standing alone in the center of the battlefield. She twirled the staff to her right, then her left before pounding it into the ground three times. The staff illuminated a brilliant green as Jadis took a fighting stance and motioned for Bo to bring her best.

The Succubus chuckled, "Are you sure, old woman?"

"It's time for your final test and that test is against me."

Bo swallowed hard. She knew she was messing with fire by making it sound like she could beat the White Witch with one hand tied behind her back. In all of her time on her lands, she'd taken note that not one person – Fae or Witch – had dared to challenge her. Both Tamsin and Kate had told her that everyone knew it would be suicide to try. No one fought Jadis... ever. Apparently, she was more powerful than an Ancient, but what was more powerful than an Ancient? Shyla had told her that the first Fae were born of the Ancients. So what was this woman?

Bo put two hands on her hips, deciding the better course of action would be to confront her mentor, "Okay, so I'm going to drop the bravado and speak plainly. I've heard that I'd have to be suicidal to fight you, so what in the world makes you think my final test should be against you? I mean, doesn't The Chosen One actually need to be alive to defeat Hades?"

Jadis shook her head, "So you've heard I'm all powerful? Okay then, the only question that remains is do you believe it?"

Bo stood still, the question settling into her mind. The truth was, she didn't know. Sure the white eyes and the things she'd already seen her do were impressive... intimidating, even... but was she unbeatable? She really didn't know,

"I don't know what I believe."

"Honest. I like that, but honestly will not defeat your Father."

"Well, getting killed by you won't help me defeat my Father either."

Jadis smiled, "Child, you are stronger than me. Search your heart and you will see that truth."

Bo scowled, closing her eyes for a long moment before she spoke, "I know what's inside of me and it's pure evil. I don't like losing control. Bad things happen to innocent people when I lose control."

Jadis shook her head, "You've been working on control since you arrived here and have channeled your power appropriately in battle. You just need to stop holding back, Child."

"No! You don't know what you're asking me to do! I'm not strong enough to control the darkness inside of me. I'm not strong enough." Bo repeated with absolute certainty as she sliced her hand through the air to emphasize her point.

"You're the child of an Ancient. You must release that power to defeat me and your Father." Jadis shouted.

"So you are more powerful than an Ancient?" Bo asked.

Jadis sighed, "I see you are very concerned about what I am. Okay then. If I tell you, will you try?"

Bo frowned, "I'm afraid."

"Of what?"

"Hurting you... hurting anyone who is nearby."

Jadis nodded, "I see. And if I told you that I have the ability to protect our people from your power, would you agree?"

"You can do that?"

"I can and I will if it will allow you to finish your training."

Bo sighed, "Fine. Tell me."

Jadis walked to a nearby stump and sat, laying her staff at her feet. Bo came to sit beside her as the elder woman spoke,

"It was Shyla's Mother who performed the ceremony on my Mother when she had been injured in the Great Fae War."

"Ceremony?" Bo asked.

Jadis nodded, "My Mother was a Changeling like Lauren. She was dying and was brought to the White Witch Healer, Diona to be saved."

"So you're a Changeling?" Bo asked.

Jadis shook her head, "My Mother did not take to the change well. She was Human and did not appreciate losing her humanity. She believed that when her time was over, it was over. She did not wish to live beyond a normal Human lifespan... especially since her lover, a Human man was killed in battle. She was angry and left the safety of the Land of Light to return to her life as a Human."

Bo nodded, "So was she pregnant with you then?"

Jadis shook her head, "No. As I told you before, Changelings are a controversial issue with the Fae because they are very powerful. An Ancient found out about my Mother. She was out there living in the Human world unprotected."

"So he found her." Bo concluded.

Jadis nodded, "He sought her out, believing that mating with her would yield an heir who would be the most formidable being to ever exist. If he could control the child, he would rein supreme."

"What happened to your Mother?"

Shrugging, Jadis replied, "She died in childbirth... or so I've been told."

"You believe the Ancient killed your Mother?"

Looking out across the snow-covered field, Bo could see the elder's eyes brimming with tears for the Mother she never knew,

"He's the only one who was powerful enough to do so. I know now that childbirth wouldn't... couldn't kill a Changeling. Any problems with the birth would have healed instantly."

Bo nodded her acknowledgement, unsure of what she could possibly say that would make her mentor feel better about the circumstance of her birth.

"He took me to his home, leaving me in the care of a woman he believed to be his trusted servant. What he didn't know was that the servant was actually sent by Diona to retrieve me. Once in the Land of Light, I underwent a ceremony that would forever mask my outward appearance to blend with the Witches. As I grew, I was taught their ways and received their powers as I have done with your daughter."

Bo smiled, "So if things don't go well for me, Lulu could live here with the Witches and appear to be one of them."

Jadis nodded, "Call it a back-up plan that I don't think we'll need, but felt she deserved just in case."

"Thank you." Bo replied.

"You're welcome. Your child will always hold a special place in my heart. She will be protected should anything happen to you and Lauren."

The pair sat in silence for a long while before Bo asked, "So do you know who your Father is? I mean, have you ever been curious?"

Jadis smiled, "Was it coincidence that Tamsin knew me... knew that we could and would save Lauren? Was it coincidence that I intervened with the Fae to have you released? Was it coincidence that I would take you and your family in and train them to defeat Hades?"

Bo's eyes went wide as she turned to her mentor, "You mean... Hades is your Father?"

Jadis smiled and nodded.

"You're my... sister?" Bo's eyes filled with tears.

Placing a gentle hand on the Succubus' shoulder, she replied, "Half sister, but yes... we share blood."

The tears slid down Bo's cheeks, her hands shaking as the reality hit her. Jadis looked concerned as she asked,

"Are you upset by this news?"

Bo let out a chuckle, "Are you kidding? This is the best news I've had since my wedding. I have a family member who is sane and not hell bent on world domination."

"So those are what Humans call happy tears, then?" Jadis asked.

Bo laughed, "Yes. Most definitely."

Smiling, she looked at her half-sister, "I have a sister and my daughter has another Aunt. One who will protect her and help her grow into her powers. I guess these are tears of relief more than anything."

Jadis nodded, "I must apologize."

"For what?" Bo asked, confused.

"That I did not intervene in your childhood. Making my presence known would have been bad for both of us. If Hades knew of my whereabouts, he would have challenged me and I would have lost. We knew you would need me, so the Amazons were discharged to protect you as much as you would permit."

"I hadn't thought of it actually. But now that you mention it, how would he have defeated you? For that matter, why aren't you The Chosen One?"

Jadis explained, "Your powers. My Mother was an unmated Changeling. Hades failed to see the need for true love as the one ingredient that would activate her powers. My Mother despised him and he is obviously not capable of love. My Changeling powers did not take hold until I mated, allowing me to manifest the powers of an Ancient."

"So White Witch, Changeling and Ancient doesn't beat Succubus Ancient?" Bo asked.

"You forget, Sister... you have Trick's blood in your veins... the power to influence and control the fates of others. Combine that with your Succubus' power to sway and your Changeling powers from your Mate and yes, you beat me hands down."

Bo smiled, "So that settles it. We don't have to fight because we know I won the genetic lottery."

Jadis shook her head, "On the contrary, Ysabeau. We need to know that you can actually use all of those powers in combination."

She stood, lifting her staff over her head to create a blue energy field all around them.

"Holy Professor McGonagall."

Jadis looked back at Bo, "Who?"

"You never saw Harry Potter? They're Lulu's favorite books. She did what you're doing right now."

"She's a White Witch?"

Bo stood, wiping off her pants, "She's a fictional character in a book that was made into a movie in the Human world. She's a Witch, but nothing like you."

Jadis lowered her staff, "Okay. Everyone around us will be safe. Shall we?"

She waved her hand towards the battlefield, ushering Bo into action.

"I'm still not sure about this. I just found out you're my Sister and now you want to risk me killing you?"

Jadis laughed, "If anything happens to me, Shyla will sense it and come running to heal me. The same can be said for you with your Mate. I assure you, Sister. Neither of us is dying tonight."

Bo sighed, "Okay then. Here we go."

Bo reached down to pick up the sword in one hand and dagger in the other. Again she felt the surge of power she'd felt when she'd first gripped the weapons.

Jadis smiled, gripping her staff horizontally with two hands, "You're still going to rely on weapons?"

Bo flipped the dagger into the air and caught it, "They usually do the trick. You're going to fight me with a bulky staff?"

Jadis shrugged, pulling the staff at the center to split it in two, "Is this better?"

"Nifty."

"The weapons are meant to help you realize your power, Sister. They are not the way to victory."

"Well, it sure feels like they'll point me in the right direction." She replied, pointing the dagger at her Sister while she held the short sword in a defensive position across her brow.

Pointing the glowing blue end towards Bo, she flicked her wrist and pulled both weapons from her Sister's hands,

"Are you sure you want to rely on weapons?"

Bo's face was bathed in an expression of shock, as she stared out her now vacant hands. Adjusting her stance, she took two steps towards the Witch and stopped,

"So what, now I'm unarmed and you rely on that staff? I misjudged you, Sis. I thought you would fight fair."

"Our Father won't, but if you insist..." She tossed both parts of the staff over her shoulder, "...better?"

Bo swung with a right cross, clipping the elder Sister square on the jaw, "Now it is."

Gripping her chin, she turned back to her sister, eyes glowing white, "Let's dance."

Bo smirked, allowing her Succubus to rise to the surface. Her eyes glowed a deep blue as she released her powers, her veins bulging through her skin,

"I think I'll lead."

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

Kenzi came running into the yurt, "Uh... you Ladies may want to come out here. Bobo and Jadis be going at it and it's like the freaking Fourth of July out here."

The yurt emptied in a matter of minutes with Lauren leading the group. She came to a stop, her mouth agape when she saw blue and white streaks flying through what appeared to be some sort of energy field in a dome-like shape.

"Einstein!"

Kenzi came to stand next to the blonde, "Whaddya make of this, Doc?"

"I have no idea."

Shyla smiled, "It's the final test."

"The what now?" Kenzi asked.

Shyla glanced towards the young goth, "The final test. Jadis is fighting her... the Chosen One in an attempt to get her to release the full force of her powers. She will need them to defeat her Father."

"Uh, we should all leave... like... now." Kenzi replied.

"Why?" Tamsin asked from Kenzi's other side.

"Nothing survives when BoBo uses the full force of her powers. Haven't you noticed that whole section of forest back on her family lands that are seedlings?"

"We replanted the trees after she destroyed most of the forest when she lost control once." Selia replied, her eyes trained on the fight within the dome.

"Once?" Tamsin asked.

"Once." Selia nodded.

"She destroyed a whole mess of trees in one suck?" Tamsin asked, "How did a Succubus take out trees?"

Selia shook her head, "Knowing what I know about her lineage, I can only guess that she combined all of her powers in one angry moment and released what I can only describe as a wide laser beam from her hands. She leveled acres upon acres of land and took out an army of Hunters. I haven't seen her lose control since. Bo was devastated by the carnage she caused and refused to use her powers again after that."

Lauren folded her arms tightly across her chest, "That was when you taught her to fight as the Amazons do."

Selia nodded, "She became an expert with all forms of weaponry, never wanting to rely on her powers ever again... except her Succubus' need for chi which she needed to survive."

Deeana added softly, "And she only drew chi so she was alive to protect Lulu."

Lauren tightened her grip on her arms, understanding what Deeana was insinuating. Her wife saw herself as a Monster unworthy of life. She hated that Jadis was going to push her wife to release that part of her, but understood that it would be an essential power against Hades. She could only hope that any damage Bo would unleash in battle would do no harm to innocents.

Kate spoke, "Are we sure that we're safe here? Should we be vacating the lands until this is over?"

Shyla replied, "Jadis had this planned for some time now. She created the energy shield to protect those outside. We're safe here as long as they both stay inside."

Acacia asked, "Can Bo survive against Jadis? I'd hate to see her kill The Chosen One before we have a chance to beat Hades."

"Uh... Ladies... what's up with the Doc?" Kenzi asked, pointing to Lauren.

All eyes turned to the Doctor whose eyes were glowing red, her veins bulging beneath her skin.

Selia gripped Deeana's arm, pulling her back, "That's Bo's power coming through the Changeling."

Shyla pulled Kenzi away from the blonde, "She won't know how to control it."

Tamsin and Kate stepped back with Acacia, "Shit."

Shyla pulled the group together and drove her staff into the ground, forming a shield around the smaller group,

"Will that hold against Lauren?" Acacia asked.

Shyla shook her head, her eyes glowing white, "I don't know, honestly."

"Great."

They all watched as Lauren walked towards the area where Jadis and Bo were fighting.

"Where's she going?" Kenzi asked.

"Her Mate is being attacked. I think she's going to intervene." Shyla replied.

They watched as Lauren banged on the shield with her fists. When she couldn't breech it, she pounded harder.

"Is she hurting herself?" Kenzi asked.

Shyla replied, "The benefit of being a Changeling is that she'll heal. We just have to wait."

 _ **Meanwhile... Beneath the shield...**_

Jadis fell to her knees, a small white disk of energy pressing out against a long stream of red light coming from Bo's hand,

"Ysabeau! Control your power! Sister! I yield!"

She watched as Bo simply smirked, "You are weak, old woman. You should never have challenged my power. I am stronger than all others. The world will kneel at my feet!"

Jadis chanced a glance at where she could see Lauren pounding on the shield. She had to take a chance that her daughter, having her blood would save her and not join her mate in destroying her. She reached back, feeling around for the top half of her staff as she fought hard to resist her Sisters' power. When she finally gripped the handle, she held it up to the shield and whispered an incantation, allowing the shield to drop.

Lauren rushed in, stopping just a few feet from the pair. She stared at Bo, then at Jadis, then back to Bo.

"Daughter, please. She has lost control and means to destroy me. Help me, please."

Bo smirked, turning to her mate, "Join me. You will rule the world at my side."

Lauren stepped towards Bo, placing a careful, gentle kiss on her lips, allowing the Succubus to draw her chi. Once the stream was broken, the Succubus stared for a long while at Lauren before turning her attention back to Jadis. She gasped before opening her hand to drop the White Witch to the ground. Jadis slowly pushed herself up, her shoulders slumped, her breathing heavy. Lauren went to speak, but she held up a hand to her daughter and shook her head, signaling she was okay.

Bo closed her eyes tightly, shaking her head before she looked at Lauren, tears flooding her eyes,

"I... I was..."

Lauren shook her head, trying to clear her mind from the feeling of Bo's power still surging through her body. Sufficiently grounded again, she spoke,

"It's okay. Everyone is okay."

"It's not okay!" Bo replied, "I almost killed her!"

She looked at Jadis, then back at Lauren, speaking in a whisper, "I wanted to kill her!"

Jadis struggled to her feet, picking up the two pieces of her staff and joining them together to form a single shaft once again. She used the staff more as a crutch as she turned to Bo,

"Sister, it's okay. This is what was needed."

"For me to almost kill you?" Bo asked.

"You see me. I am far from dead. Tired... yes, dead, no."

She moved her gaze to Lauren, "Thank you Daughter. Your bond to your Mate did exactly as I expected. She will not lose control as long as you are at her side."

Lauren shook her head, "I'm not so sure about that. I felt..."

"I understand, but you overcame her influence. You see, you... the pair of you... are good. At the very core of who and what you are is goodness. Hatred will never rule you..." she looked to Bo, "... either of you."

The pair stood silently, numb from what had just happened. Jadis planted a kiss on Lauren's cheek, then on Bo's, her gaze lingering with her Sister a bit longer. She raised her hand and placed it firmly on the Succubus' shoulder,

"Take a moment with your wife. Allow my words to sink in. I'm right and you know I am. This had to happen for you to learn to trust yourself and your wife. Remember what I told you about a Changeling. Lauren will always..."

"Be everything I need." Bo finished for her Sister, nodding her acknowledgement of that fact, "Thank you, Sister."

"Sister?" Lauren asked.

Jadis and Bo shared a glance and a chuckle before the brunette turned to her wife, "I'll explain in a moment, sweetie."

She placed a gentle kiss on her wife's cheek before turning to her sister, "Still, thank you needed to be said. You risked your life to help me to see my true power."

"I will always be here for you, Ysabeau, whatever you may need." She smiled, "For now, I think I'll go check in with your supporting cast."

Jadis turned to walk away, but Bo stopped her, "Sister..."

Turning back to the brunette, Jadis asked, "What is it, child?

"I think it's time I took the lead. If I'm truly the Chosen One, they will never follow me if I don't start being the leader I was apparently born to be."

Jadis smiled, "Agreed. What would you like me to do then?"

"Tell them that Lauren and I are off to a family meeting. They should all return to their homes and we will meet in the morning. The wounded need time to recover, so any talk of leaving for battle now is a moot point."

"As you wish." Jadis lowered her head, acknowledging her sister's position and power.

"Jadis, after you speak with them, would you have time to gather our family to meet at our yurt in say an hour or so? I want everyone to have some time to relax and get cleaned up. No rush really, but I do want everyone in bed at a reasonable hour. We all need to conserve our energy in the days to come. Of course, we'll expect you as well." Bo asked.

"But I thought..."

"You are my sister... my family. We need your experience, your wisdom, your guidance and... well, we just need you."

Jadis smiled, "As you wish. Who would you include as family then? I don't want to miss any invitations."

Bo replied, "Well, the White Witches who share blood or a blood link to Lauren would be you, Aspera and Shyla. Of course, Tamsin's blood was used, so she, Kate and Acacia. I've been inducted as a sister to the Amazons by blood so I count Selia, Deeana, Seera and Sabrina as sisters as well."

Lauren spoke, "What about Aoife and Trick?"

Bo paused for a moment before she looked at Jadis and sighed, "Can you please bring Aoife and Trick as well?"

Jadis gave her sister a sympathetic smile, "I will."

The pair watched as the witch walked away before Bo turned to Lauren, extending her hand. Lauren smiled and took the offered hand, turning with her wife who led her back towards their yurt. As they walked, Bo explained her relationship with Jadis. While Lauren was shocked, she wasn't completely surprised. She knew there had to be something more to the connection she'd felt to the woman who had saved her life.

"This is nice."

Bo looked at her wife, "What's nice?"

"Walking through the snow, the crisp air, black sky, millions of stars and two full moons..."

"The warmth of your hand in mine, the quiet, time alone to just... be."

Lauren smiled, "I love you, Izzy... so very much."

They stopped and turned to one another, their arms automatically wrapping around the torso of the other as they'd done often since coming to these lands.

"You know, I never thought we'd have this. I always thought I'd be alone, fighting to keep Lu alive until I was finally killed while she escaped."

"Where would she have gone?"

Bo smiled, "There was an emergency backpack she was to put on and take with her if I ever disappeared for more than a month or Kenzi told her to run."

"But where would she have gone where the Hunter's wouldn't have found her?"

"To you, hopefully."

"To me?"

"Well, as you know, I'd lost track of where you were, but in the backpack was a letter with instructions to find you at all costs. If Kenzi was with her, I knew her hacking skills would help her to find you if you were still alive. If she was alone, it would be more difficult, but I'd given her some background information as well as some of your personal possessions and a few photos to help her along."

"Personal possessions, huh?" Lauren asked, suggestively, pulling her wife closer.

Bo smiled, "Why yes, Doctor. Did you really think I'd carried a torch for you all of these years without also carrying some physical reminders of you?"

Lauren grinned, "Such as?"

"Let's see... that piece of green sea glass you always carried in your back pocket for luck..."

"You had that all of this time? I thought I'd lost it!"

Bo smiled, "You did... sort of."

"You stole it?"

"I wouldn't exactly call it stealing... I mean... it was for luck after all and I wanted to be lucky in love with you... of course..."

"Of course it worked. Here we are." Lauren smiled.

Bo leaned in and kissed her wife's lips softly, "Here we are."

Lauren's hand found its way to Bo's cheek, stealing another kiss. She felt Bo's tongue seeking entrance and allowed it, but broke away before things could get too heated,

"I wish you'd told Jadis we were meeting in a few hours." She whispered, her forehead against Bo's as she savored the closeness.

Bo smiled, "Sometimes I wish I wasn't so damn impulsive."

"I'd rather call it... spontaneous. It's one of the things I love most about you. There's always a surprise waiting around the next bend."

She gave Bo another quick kiss before pulling back, "So what else of mine did you have in that emergency backpack?"

Bo cringed as she spoke, "Diary number three."

Lauren's eyes went wide, "You didn't! That was you?"

Bo nodded, the guilt apparent on her face.

"You let me blame my parents for taking that!"

Bo shrugged, "It was an amazing read."

"So you knew? Why didn't you ever say anything?" Lauren asked.

Bo frowned, "By the time I'd taken it, I was with Kyle and... well... I felt... different."

"You didn't love me?" Lauren asked.

"Not different as in my feelings for you had changed... different as in my Fae was starting to emerge. Of course, I didn't know that at the time. I only knew I was afraid to be around you. It was hard to control... whatever it was."

"Your Succubus was coming out." Lauren conceded.

Bo nodded.

"Well, I'm glad my parents hadn't read it."

Bo grinned, "It was quite... explicit."

Lauren laughed, "Well, if I wasn't going to have the opportunity to act on my impulses, I was at least going to write them out."

Bo's eyes flashed blue, "So, do you want to try out page fifty-seven?"

"You know page numbers?"

Bo smirked, leaning in to whisper in her wife's ear, "It's the page where you and I snuck into the girls' locker room shower after everyone had left after practice and...

Lauren's face flushed as Bo reminded her of the things she had written on the page. Just the thought of the warm water running over their bodies as her slick skin moved against Izzy's had her squeezing her legs together until suddenly, a horrible thought crossed her mind. She pulled back from Bo's grasp, shaking off the aching need,

"Wait! Lulu has this diary in her possession? What were you thinking?!"

Bo laughed, "She has the diary, but I have all of the more... M-rated pages."

"Oh, thank goodness!" Lauren replied, her hand pressed to her chest as she gasped a breath of relief.

"Lauren, I would never..."

"I know... the thought just crossed my mind and... well..."

Bo laughed, "And you thought you wouldn't be a good Mom."

Lauren smiled, "It's amazing, really. After the Fae enslaved me, I never thought I'd have a normal life. The thought of having children became a distant memory and the thought of love a fantasy. It's still sinking in... that I'm a Mother to your Daughter, but Izzy... she makes me so happy. Being in this life with you is just... I'm so happy with you."

Bo smiled, kissing the blonde's lips softly, "You'll never know how happy it makes me to hear that you're happy, Lolo. I have ever reason to fight like hell to rid this world of The Hunters and my Father once and for all. I'm ready, Lo."

The blonde nodded, "Me too. I will be there at your side every step of the way, Izzy. I will trust you and give you all I have to give in this battle."

Bo took Lauren's hands in her own, "We're in this together."

"And Lulu?"

"Where we go, she goes. I'm not going to leave her hear to suffer the distance and the effect it will have on our bond to her. She's right. She's ready and she's powerful. I've left her alone to fight and survive on her own for years. The Witches have thrown every threat imaginable at her and she has always come out on top. I'm sure I'll second guess myself later on, but I just know she is meant to be with us."

"Even though she's not mentioned in the Prophecy?"

Bo shrugged, "She's part of me."

"Together." Lauren nodded.

"Shall we?" Bo asked, pointing towards the path to their yurt.

Lauren nodded, "Yes, but let's walk slowly, okay?"

Bo nodded, "Whatever my Lolo wants."

"I love you, Izzy."

"I love you, Lolo."

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

By the time Bo and Lauren had made it back to their yurt, Tamsin and Kate had Lulu bathed and tucked into a bed they had moved into the yurt.

Kate spoke, "She insisted on sleeping with you guys tonight. She said she had a feeling and she needed to be here."

"A feeling?" Bo asked.

Kate shrugged, "A feeling is all she would say. We moved a bed in here and hung some curtains to separate the living areas so you would retain some semblance of privacy. Tamsin said if we were going to battle tomorrow or anytime soon, you would need to remain well fed, so..."

"I get it. Say no more... please. We're not having sex with our daughter in the same space."

Tamsin folded her arms over her chest, "What, you can't be quiet? You need to be strong tomorrow."

Bo stepped into the Valkyrie's personal space, coming nose to nose with her.

"Bo..." Lauren spoke, but stopped when she heard her wife interrupt,

Keeping her eyes on Tamsin, Bo replied to her wife before turning her comments to the Valkyrie,

"No, Lauren. Tamsin needs to learn her place. Here this once and for all Valkyrie, you are not in charge here. I know that you served Lauren's mentor for some time, but we share a power now that you cannot possibly understand or advise us on. It is time for you to assume the role you were meant to play in the coming battle."

"And I suppose you're going to figure out how to be a leader by tomorrow?" Tamsin smirked.

"Again, no one said we were leaving tomorrow. That is not your decision and this is not your yurt, your family or your battle to lead. You are here to follow orders and if you cannot do that, then it's time for you to leave and return to earth for whatever path may await you. I cannot fight The Hunters and my Father if I have to worry about whether or not you're going to do something stupid that gets someone I care about killed."

"You're..."

"It doesn't matter what you think I am or am not. Wrap your head around this, Valkyrie..."

Bo's eyes glowed blue, the wind stirred inside the yurt and her voice echoed a deep, raspy tone as she spoke,

"I will reign as Queen with Lauren and Lulu by my side. I am The Chosen One who will lead her followers into battle. Their swords will be raised at my command. Heed my warning, Valkyrie. Kneel at my feet or feel my wrath."

Tamsin's eyes went wide as she felt Bo's power force her to drop to her knees. She bowed her head, "You are The Chosen One. It is my honor to serve at your command."

Lauren came to stand beside Bo, her eyes glowing blue as she spoke to Kate, "And you, Valkyrie?"

Kate dropped to one knee, bowing her head, "I have and always will follow your Mate, The Chosen One. I will not question her command in birthright or choice. What is it you want from me, Changeling?"

"Your fealty to my Mate is all I seek of you. You shall hold our favor now and always. You have been a true friend."

Kate nodded, "Thank you."

Bo's voice commanded, "Stand."

The two Valkyrie followed the command, standing before The Chosen One.

"Go to the village and tell them what you have witnessed here. The Chosen One has taken the reins and shall not be questioned. We leave for battle in two days time. Tell the Healers to prepare the wounded and ill for our departure as they see fit. Tomorrow when the second sun of this world is at its peak, we will meet with those named in the Prophecy."

Bo turned to Kate, "That includes you, Valkyrie."

"But..."

The Succubus shook her head, her eyes reverting to their deep brown color, "Kate, the prophecy speaks of a Valkyrie. It does not specify which Valkyrie. While Tamsin is the first one I'd met through Lauren and that may lead us to assume she is the one, she has not maintained a confidence in me as you have. It would seem you are the more likely candidate. Of course, for all we know, it could also be Acacia. For that reason, I'd like all three of you present. Just know that your voices will not be welcome unless you are asked a direct question. Are we clear?"

Bo asked the last part to both Valkyries, earning a nod from the pair, though Tamsin looked less than happy.

"Now, go and return with the other Fae, including the one named Val."

"Hale's sister?" Tamsin asked.

"Yes." Bo replied.

"Why.."

Bo's interrupted, her eyes glowing blue, "Have you forgotten your place already? Shall we try again?"

Tamsin shook her head, "No, of course not. I will return immediately."

Bo watched as the pair left quickly before turning to Lauren, "Too much?"

Lauren laughed, "I think that was exactly what was needed. Interesting point... that Tamsin may not be the Valkyrie in the prophecy."

Bo shrugged, "It just came to me when she started to argue again."

"Like I said... good point." Lauren smiled, turning towards Lulu's bed, "She's sleeping so peacefully despite the power behind your Succubus' voice."

"That's not my Succubus. Well, it is but... it's... more."

Lauren nodded, "The Changeling power."

Bo nodded, "Do you feel it?"

"I obey it."

"Obey it?"

Lauren nodded, "It's like... I'm a part of you... separate, but together. I can think my own thoughts, but I'm compelled to join in what you're feeling. It's hard to explain. When you were with Jadis and asked me to join you in killing her, I was all in until you mentioned the killing part. That's when my mind screamed that it was wrong to kill her and..."

"You stopped me."

Lauren nodded.

Bo concluded, "You're the voice of what's right when the darkness takes hold of me. You did it just now. I was ready to kick the crap out of Tamsin."

Lauren nodded her reply again.

Bo stood staring at her wife before she took her hand and led her to Lulu's bed. They stood beside the child, looking down at her.

"She's smiling." Bo observed.

Lauren squeezed Bo's hand, "She's got a lot to be happy about."

"She's about to be dragged into a warzone."

"You can still choose to leave her here." Lauren replied.

"Do you think I'm doing the wrong thing bringing her with us?"

"I didn't say that."

"I know you didn't say it, but are you thinking it?"

"No, Izzy. I think you're absolutely right in taking her with us. We should all stick together. I'm just saying that it's what she wants. I think she'll be happy to be going with us. She's wanted to go all along. She believes she has the power to help us and from all I know of her past, your Daughter is a survivor."

"Our Daughter." Bo replied, her eyes traveling from Lauren's to the child in the bed.

A voice interrupted the family moment, "I can protect her."

The pair spun around quickly to see Shyla standing before them with a gold chalice.

"How?" Bo asked.

"You've seen the shields that the White Witches can create? There isn't enough energy to create them on earth, but I can give Lulu the power to create such as shield around herself and anyone touching her."

"Will it hurt her?"

Shyla smiled, shaking her head, "Of course not, Ysabeau. I came early before the rest of your blood arrived. I am not family and did not want to interrupt your requested family time."

Bo frowned, "What do you mean you're not family?"

Lauren added, "Aspera gave me life and you are her sister. We share blood."

"Aspera and I performed the ritual using Tamsin's blood that kept you alive. Jadis performed the ritual of your rebirth. My sister and I were merely the conduits to the power she needed to achieve your first breath."

"Conduit or not, you and Aspera are as much family to me as Jadis. Her ritual may have ignited the flame of life, but the two of you provided the spark. Bo and I consider you both family just as Bo is considered to be a sister to the Amazons."

"Then they see you as a sister by marriage?"

"Actually, they are performing a blood ritual on me tomorrow." Lauren replied.

"So blood does make a family?" Shyla replied.

Bo shook her head, "Different strokes for different folks, as they say. In our family, no blood required. Think about it... my Father is my blood and he is the pure evil we are trying to vanquish to save us all. I have thought of Kenzi as a sister since we met. I have never defined family by blood. Family is defined by actions, not blood."

Shyla bowed her head, "I am honored to be counted among your kin."

"We are honored to have you as such. Anything you can do to help us protect Lulu is welcome. You're sure it won't cause her pain? Should you do it while she sleeps?"

Shaking her head, the witch pulled a small stone from beneath her robe, "I saw her rubbing this during a lesson last week."

Bo extended her hand to take the offered item, passing it immediately to Lauren.

"My sea glass." The blonde spoke, surprised to be holding this old piece of treasure from her childhood.

Shyla replied, "So it does not belong to the child?"

"It is something I took from Lauren when we were children. I suppose Lulu has kept it hidden from me because she was afraid I would be mad that she had it."

"So she's not supposed to have it?" Shyla asked.

Bo shook her head, "I had created a kit of sorts... a bag for Lulu in case of emergency if I didn't return home... if I was killed by The Hunters. I guess I must have been late coming home so she opened it as she'd been taught."

Bo turned to Lulu, "All this time, I'd thought she'd never opened it."

Lauren added, "She must have known who I was when we met in the woods that day."

Bo smiled, "She wanted us to be together in the worst way. I guess we know why now."

Lauren smiled at her daughter, "Thank you, Lulu."

Bo sighed, "The sea glass was given to her by me, but I took it from Lauren when we were teenagers. Is that a problem?"

"I need an item cherished by your Daughter that was a gift from someone close to her. I'd assumed the glass was from you, Ysabeau."

Shaking her head, Bo replied, "I'd left it to her for luck."

"I give it to her freely and willingly. It was my good luck charm as a child and, as it turns out, led me to the family I have today. I give it to Lulu hoping that it brings her as much good fortune as it gave to me."

"And its' significance to you?"

"I found it on the shoreline while taking a particularly long walk with my best friend Izzy when we were children. It was between our feet in the sand the first time she told me she loved me."

Bo looked at Lauren, her eyes holding so much love and adoration for the blonde, "You thought I was telling you I loved you as a friend, but I was actually telling any God above who might actually exist that I loved you and wanted us to be together for all eternity as we were on that beach in that moment."

Bo covered the piece of glass in Lauren's hand, "I didn't know this was that same piece of glass. I thought you'd thrown that back to the sea when we wished."

Lauren smiled, "That was a blue piece... corny, yet significant... I was feeling blue because after you'd told me you'd loved me, you told me you were going to the Homecoming Dance with Kyle."

Bo pulled her wife into a firm embrace, whispering in her ear, "I promise I will only dance with you from this day forward. Every dance from this moment on is yours, my Lolo."

Shyla waited out their moment before Lauren turned to her, "This is the item you will need."

She handed the Healer the piece of sea glass.

"What will you do with it?" Bo asked.

"Observe." She replied.

The couple watched as Shyla moved to their daughter and plucked an unruly strand of hair from the curls upon her head. She then pricked her skin with a tiny pin and watched a small bubble of blood formed on the child's skin. She took the glass and used the edge to scrape the blood from her skin before wrapping the hair around the stone and dropping it into the chalice. She handed Lauren the chalice before reaching under her robe and pulling out a Band-Aid.

Smiling up at the couple, she held up a Power Rangers adhesive strip, "They're her favorite."

Bo and Lauren watched as the Healer gently covered the tiny wound. She didn't really need it, but the two knew Shyla well enough to know that she always took great care when it came to Lulu and they were both grateful. She was a kind old woman who had taken to Lulu just as much as their daughter had taken to her.

They watched as the Witch picked up the chalice and moved to the fire pit at the center of the living space. She rubbed her hands together rapidly before pulling them apart to form an energy ball. She slammed her hands together, forcing the energy to form a shield around her hands and then reached into the fire to pull out a handful of embers. The embers were dropped into the chalice before she carried the chalice to Lauren and Bo. She pulled out a pin,

"I'll need a drop from each of you if you don't mind."

Lauren immediately pricked her own finger and squeezed a drop into the chalice. She handed the pin to Bo who cringed,

"Fine." Lauren replied, taking Bo's finger and pricking it before squeezing the drop into the chalice, "I guess I'll still be your Doctor whether I'm actively practicing or not."

"You know I hate needles." Bo said, crossing her arms over her chest as she watched Shyla mumble over the chalice.

"Baby."

"I'm not a baby."

"You'll wield a sword and take a dagger to your gut, but you won't prick your finger to protect your Daughter?"

"Our Daughter."

"You're still a baby."

Bo just sighed, knowing her wife was right. Turning her attention back to Shyla, she watched as the woman reached into the chalice and pulled out a long silver chain with the sea glass hanging from the end.

"Whoa. She gives a whole new meaning to being a jeweler."

Lauren elbowed her wife, nodding towards Shyla who was now speaking her native language while holding the necklace between her two hands. They watched as light streaked out from between her fingers, her eyes glowing white.

"What's happening?" Bo asked.

"I'm not sure."

Finally, Shyla turned to Bo and Lauren, "It's ready. Place it around her neck. As long as it remains in place, she will be protected."

Bo smiled, "Thank you, Shyla. This means so much to us."

Lauren nodded her agreement as she took the necklace from Shyla. The couple moved to Lulu and worked together to get the necklace onto their Daughter without waking her. Lauren held the piece of sea glass between her fingers for one final moment before allowing it to drop to her chest.

"I'm glad was lost to our Daughter."

Bo smiled at the comment, kissing her wife on the cheek.

"Your requested guests have arrived, Ysabeau."

Bo turned to face the entrance to the yurt, leaving Lauren to lower the curtain that would shelter their daughter for the night.

"Please, come in. Let's sit and talk. This will only take a moment."

Bo motioned to the group of Fae to sit near the fire. It was cold in this land and on more than one occasion, she had heard a few of them complain about the temperatures. She guessed that some Fae could tolerate extremes in temperature better than others, but wasn't actually sure. As they sat, Lauren and Shyla joined them, each coming to sit flanking Bo on either side.

"I'd like to apologize on behalf of all of the Fae for bringing the threat to these lands. I should have..."

"Dyson, you couldn't have known. Actually, I'm grateful that it happened."

"What? How could you possibly be..."

Bo waved him off, "I've been dealing with my Father's Hunters most of my life. I've learned a great deal about them, but you are the first I know who have survived. The fact that we were able to free you from his grip was amazing in and of itself, but the fact that you were not possessed once again gives us knew information."

"He has to have a vessel to be present?" Hale suggested.

"That's one possibility." Bo replied, "Usually the essence that is implanted simply jumps to another body when the one that it's in is killed."

"Shit." Val replied.

"Tell me about it. That's why it takes so damn long to put them back into their graves."

"So why weren't we just taken over again?" Val asked.

"Sounds like revenge of the body jumpers if you ask me." Vex interjected.

"Nobody asked you, Vex." Dyson replied before turning to Bo, "So what do you think prevented us from being possessed a second time?"

Bo shrugged, "I can only guess, but I sucked all of your chi all at once."

"We all died at the same time." Val deduced.

Dyson nodded, "More importantly, there was no living body to possess other than those of the witches and your family."

Bo agreed, "Now why the spirits or whatever they are didn't jump into any of our bodies, I don't know."

"Blood." Shyla said, causing all eyes to move on hers.

"What?" Dyson asked.

"Blood." Shyla repeated looking at Bo.

"But..."

"No, she's right. Everyone on my side shares blood like a chain has links that connect one to the other." Bo concluded.

Shyla and Lauren nodded, the blonde adding, "That's amazing."

"So how does that work to our advantage?" Dyson asked.

"Well, the blood part doesn't, but the fact that you all survived just may."

No one had noticed Jadis had entered the yurt until she spoke, "I've been listening to you all for a short while and I believe I may have the answer. I believe the Fae survived because they have been cleansed."

"Cleansed?" Bo asked.

Jadis looked at Shyla who nodded. The leader then continued, "Many of our rituals begin with a cleansing in one way or another. It's a way of preventing things that could have a negative influence on impacting an otherwise positive outcome in a spell."

"So if they were cleansed, evil could not possess them again." Bo replied.

Jadis nodded, "Correct."

"But how would my sucking their chi cleanse them?" Bo asked.

Lauren replied, "Blood."

"Again with the blood?" Bo asked.

"I'm afraid so. You and your Father share blood. You did the cleansing so I would guess that overpowers his."

"You are supposed to be The Chosen One... the one who defeats him. There must be some truth to that." Shyla replied.

"So we should be able to fight just like any of the Witches." Dyson replied.

"As long as you don't get dead. Once you're dead, your fair game once again." Jadis reminded.

Shyla nodded, "His army is made by inserting his will into the souls of the dead... any dead. He wants Bo and Lulu because they would give him the power to raise millions of souls. He could return to the earthly plane without resistance from any existing armies."

Vex protested, "So you're saying if we get killed, we get to walk for all eternity like your Daddy's puppet? Imagine that... a Mesmer becomes the mesmered. That's just great."

Dyson shook his head, "You're welcome to leave if you don't have the stomach for this, Vex. Just remember that if the battle is lost, every soul on earth – Fae or Human – becomes a puppet to Hades."

"Fine. I will follow the unaligned succubunny into battle and pray that I don't turn into a robot for the Dark Lord."

"Thank you." Bo replied, before turning to the rest of the Fae in the group, "Does anyone else have an issue with following orders?"

Dyson looked around before he spoke, "Lauren and I have had our differences over the years. I was born into a world that showed little respect to Humans as more than food to my kind but... watching her fight for the very people who enslaved her... well, over time she helped me to see things differently. I can safely say that we all came here ready to fight Lauren's fight, whatever it might be."

He sighed before he continued, "We have all agreed that she is no longer the only reason we're here. We know what it feels like to be possessed... forced to act beyond our will while we watch helplessly from within our own bodies." He looked at Lauren, "We know what it's like to be a prisoner and would never want anyone to feel that way if we could help it."

Val interrupted, "What the wolf is trying to say in his long-winded way is that we thank you for freeing us from Hades power and owe you the lives we now have to live. We are with you and are here to declare our fealty to you, The Chosen One."

Bo smiled, "I thank you... all of you." She reached for Lauren's hand, "And I thank you for supporting Lauren. I take it this means that when we return to earth, any claims the Fae try to make against my wife you will defend her against the elders as well?"

Dyson nodded, "No one should be a prisoner to the will of others. They should be free to chose who and what they want to be."

Lauren smiled, "Thank you, Dyson."

"You're welcome, Doc."

"We leave in two days time. You have until then to heal, train and do what you must to regain your strength. I believe that Belaria will be tending to the needs of the Fae visitors?" Bo said, turning to Jadis for verification.

Jadis replied, "She will. Please let her know if you need anything at all."

Dyson stood with the others, "Thank you again for your hospitality."

Jadis smiled and nodded as they all took their leave, "It was a good choice to wait, Ysabeau. These last few hours have made all the difference in uniting your forces. Well done."

Bo nodded, "Thank you, Sister."

"You're always welcome. Now, I will take my leave and return with the rest of our family in a half hour as requested. It will give you and Lauren a chance to bathe and change if you choose."

"Thank you." Lauren replied as Jadis and Shyla stood and walked to the exit of the yurt. Lauren turned to her wife, "I don't know about you, but thirty minutes in a bath sounds like heaven to me right now."

Lauren stood, extending her hand to her wife, who smiled, "Any amount of time in a bath with you is always heaven. You start the water while I check in on Lulu."

"Give her a kiss for me." Lauren replied, kissing Bo on the cheek before she headed off to start the bath water running.

Bo watched her walk away, her eyes drifting over the form of her wife. She loved all that Lauren was. She had a beautiful heart and the body to match. Having those strong, slender legs wrapped around her right now was just what she needed. She stood and headed towards the curtain that concealed her daughter. Pulling back the curtain, she found her daughter curled up, holding tight to the piece of sea glass against her chest.

She smiled, leaning down to kiss her forehead before pulling the covers up over her shoulders and tucking them in around her,

"I love you so very much that it hurts my heart, Lulu. Is it too much to ask that you be allowed to life a life free of violence and impending doom? We're going to fight to free you from the legacy passed to me. You will live the life you choose, I promise."

Pushing the hair behind her little ear, she kissed her cheek before standing to join Lauren for a bath. She stopped, moving over to the small chest by the bed. Opening it, she pulled out a long box that she had been waiting a very long time to give to Lauren. She walked to the bath area where she found the blonde standing with her back to her wife, only a bra remaining until she was fully naked. Bo stood silently watching as her Lolo reached behind her to unhook the strap allowing her to remove the restrictive garment.

Bo opened the box and removed the necklace before walking up behind her wife and kissing her neck. She reached around her and draped the small trinket over her chest, leading each side of the chain behind her neck and fastening the latch.

"Finally."

Lauren turned in her wife's arms, her fingers gently lifting the charm to gaze upon the silver symbol, "What's this?"

"I had planned to give that to you the night of prom, but instead, well... you know. I've carried it with me ever since."

"I know this symbol. You and Kyle carved it into the wall of the tree house we built. You said we were family."

Bo nodded, "Our carving was not as nice as the necklace, but yes... it's the Tree of Life. We've always been and always will be family, Lauren... we've just added to the branches of our tree since we were kids."

Lauren looked up at her wife, "I love you, Izzy. So much. It's beautiful."

They kissed each other with all of the passion they had to offer, each probing deeper as Lauren began ripping the clothes from her wife's body. Before she knew it, Lauren was pressed against the wall, Bo's gorgeous body molded to her own and it felt absolutely divine.

"I will never tire of feeling your body against mine, Izzy. I..."

She was cut off by her wife's lips capturing her own in a delicious kiss, breaking it only to say, "Into the bath and remember... Lulu is not far away."

Bo shook her head, "If you want to finish this, don't mention her name. I swore I wouldn't have sex with you when she was within earshot. As for the volume, you may need to stuff a washcloth in my mouth."

"I have other ideas for what I can stuff in your mouth."

"Mmmm... page fifty-seven please."

The pair chuckled as Bo pulled off her socks and they moved to the bathtub. They had less than thirty minutes until they had guests. It was time to multitask.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

Lauren was the first to emerge from the bath and was not surprised to find Kenzi warming herself by the fire.

"Hey, Kenz."

"Hey, Doc. How was the bath?"

"Great." Lauren replied, her face flushing at the thought.

"So, what's the big family meeting all about?"

"Actually, I'm not sure. Bo asked for it and we haven't had time to talk about why she wanted to meet. I think she's just getting all of the ducks in a row before the big battle."

Kenzi nodded, "Rallying the troops? I get it."

"Hey Kenz." Bo said, entering the room, "Want some tea or hot chocolate?"

"I can't believe I'm going to say this, but I'll have some tea."

"Wow, tea?" Bo asked.

"Those witchy bitches have me doing all sorts of things I never thought I'd do."

"How's your training coming?"

"I'm in fighting form, BoBo. Ready to rock and roll."

"I'm still worried about you going home for this battle, Kenz. You're still Human and my Father can possess you."

"Uh... about that whole Human thing..." Kenzi began, but hesitated, "...never mind."

"Kenzi?" Bo asked, coming to sit beside her handing her a cup of tea.

They all looked up to see the rest of their family enter. Acacia entered first, nodding to Bo and Lauren before sitting next to Kate. Jadis and Shyla entered next followed by Aoife and Trick who were surprisingly subdued. Aspera followed behind the group, watching Bo's Mother and Grandfather carefully. Sabrina entered next as was the custom for the Amazon. She was meant to take any first

"Awww... she's adorable." Bo smiled, placing a gentle kiss on the top of her head, careful not to wake the sleeping child.

"Lauren, if you don't mind could I put her down with Lulu? I didn't want to leave her alone in the yurt since our sisters are preparing for your ritual tomorrow and there was no one to watch her."

Lauren smiled, "Of course. She's just behind the curtain over there. Come, I'll help you."

Bo smiled as she watched Selia press a gentle kiss to her daughter's head sharing a glance with Deeana before the Amazon followed Lauren out of sight.

"Bo." Selia said with a nod to her friend.

"Selia." Bo replied with the same gesture.

The two locked forearms in greeting before Bo led her to sit by Kenzi, and then turned to welcome the rest of the group. She nodded to Trick and gave a cheek-to-cheek air kiss to Aoife when the woman pulled her towards her unexpectedly. She then bowed her head to the White Witch contingent.

When they were all finally gathered, she and Lauren sat before the group, joining hands before the blonde spoke,

"Thank you all for coming. We know it's getting late, so we promise not to keep you long. We just wanted to start by thanking you for your support. As you know, you are all considered family either by the relationship you have with one of us or by blood. There was a Human phrase my parents constantly used to remind me of... that blood is thicker than water..."

Lauren chuckled to herself before she continued, "... well, living in that home and having a best friend in Bo and Kyle taught me all too often that the thickness of fluid has nothing to do with the bond between people. As I aged, I learned that the bond also had nothing to do with whether those people were Human, Fae, Druid, Valkyrie, White Witch or Amazon. We are all beings who move in and out of one another's lives, some forming real and lasting connections."

She looked at Bo, giving her hand a squeeze, "To us, those real and lasting connections are special for those are the people who we feel we can trust... the people we would fight for no matter what because we know they would do the same in return. These special connections are the ones we refer to as family. That is why you are all here tonight."

Bo continued, looking first to Aoife and Trick, "You are here because you are my blood. I don't trust you. I don't feel a special connection to you. In forty-eight hours, we will leave to battle my Father. You are here because I will not release you until we land to do battle because I do not trust that you won't betray our cause. When we land, if I feel you will serve a purpose, you will fight among us, surrounded by a contingent of Valkyrie and Amazons to make sure you stay true to your word. If you don't, they will have orders to kill you without hesitation."

Aoife began to speak, but Trick grabbed her forearm, drawing her attention. He shook his head, giving her arm a squeeze to keep her silent as they both turned to Bo once again,

"If when we land I do not feel you serve a purpose, or more importantly, are a threat, you will be handed over to the Dark Fae where Evony will hold you until I say otherwise. Are we clear?"

The pair nodded.

"Good. Thank you for your cooperation. Now, Tamsin and Sabrina if you would kindly return these two to their yurt and be sure there are guards posted from now until we leave? They are not to leave unless escorted to a meal or requested meeting. If they wish to see anyone, it must be approved by Acacia or Selia first."

"It will be done, Ma'am." Sabrina replied.

Tamsin made her way to Bo and leaned down to whisper in her ear, "What do you want done about Aoife's need to feed? It's been a while."

The pair looked at each other for a long moment before Bo sighed, "It's up to you and Acacia. The Amazons will not allow her to feed from them. They see her as my betrayer. If you decide to help her, give her only chi. I watched many dead bodies leave my Mother's room as a child. I didn't understand back then, but now I know it was a Succubus feed gone bad. She has less control than I do. That said, give her chi, but make sure it's always a supervised feed by at least four guards. Don't trust her, Tamsin. Keep her alive, but do not trust her. Don't let your guards fall for anything tears or whining."

"I got it."

Bo nodded, "I know you do, but to be clear, no Valkyrie dies before my Mother."

"You're authorizing deadly force?" Tamsin asked, surprised.

"If she is an immediate threat to the life of another, most definitely."

"As you wish." Tamsin replied, giving a nod to Bo before turning to lead Aoife and Trick out of the yurt.

Lauren gave Bo a smile, "You okay?"

"I will be." Bo replied, "Let's finish this."

With a nod, the pair turned to the group, "Now that the unpleasantries are out of the way, let's talk about this family and what my plan is moving forward. First, in two days time, we will head to earth for battle. Jadis has notified the Healers so they can prepare anyone who is able to fight. You should all do the same."

She waited for any protests, but there were none. Smiling, she continued, "When we arrive, I will call the mansion and attempt to make contact with the staff to determine how far-reaching my Father's power has become. Selia, you will get word from your tribes about the status of the McCorrigan lands. If our forces still hold key positions, those named in the prophecy will move with us to the Mansion and the root of my Father's power while the rest of you will wipe out the Hunters. Remember that our best chance is to take them all out at once. With the Amazons fighting from the trees and the Witches using their collective energy for a single strike, we should be able to down the majority of them. If we are fighting my Father at the source, he should not have enough energy at the portal to reanimate any Hunters or raise any dead to increase the size of his army."

"A coordinated attack will be difficult." Selia replied.

Bo nodded, "Agreed, but I have no plan to micromanage that battle. I leave it to you, Acacia and Jadis to play your attack over the next forty-eight hours and then pass your plan on to us so we know when to strike the portal. Timing will be everything."

Everyone nodded in agreement before Bo continued, "We have a wild card. This may come as a surprise to all of you, but we will be taking Lulu with us... into battle."

Bo felt more than heard the collective gasp, but forged ahead, "This is what she wants. The Amazons are well aware that Lulu has been raised on a battlefield all of her life. They have trained her to fight as they have trained me. She can scale a tree faster than some of her older sisters and her aim with a bow is true enough to keep herself fed in my absence for a month. She has survived alone in a cabin surrounded by Hunters since age the age of three. Something I still have trouble admitting since I am the one who left her alone."

There was a long pause as Bo struggled with her guilt,

"Since Lauren and I mated, her bond to me has grown stronger. Our powers are linked somehow and she is capable of doing things that I cannot. I am not sure, but I believe it has to do with her Father's lineage combining with mine. That said, the White Witches have had a difficult time keeping her from experimenting on her own and that has led to some amazing discoveries with regards to her abilities. All of that said, I've decided to grant her wish to fight with us unless we arrive and find the conditions have changed. If my Father has taken corporeal form, then I will be taking him on alone while the rest of you battle the Hunters around me. Remember that his strength is in them. You kill them, he is weak enough for me to kill. They live and I'm not sure I can kill him which means Lulu and I... possibly Lauren... become a threat to everyone on earth. In that case... well... you know what you must do."

"But it won't come to that because we're going to take out The Hunters while you and your girls take down Daddy dearest." Kenzi contributed.

"That is the general idea." Bo smiled at her best friend, "So, that's all I had to say. Any questions or concerns?"

The group was silent which surprised Bo, "Okay then. If you think of any concerns over the next forty-eight hours, please seek us out to discuss them. I want to hear your thoughts. If there are holes in our plan, I need to know now rather than later."

Everyone nodded their agreement, "Okay then. Let's all get some sleep. See you at breakfast."

The group stood, taking some time to socialize before they slowly began to retreat to their yurts one by one. The last to leave were Deeana and Selia who moved some guards to their yurt, leaving Seera behind to sleep with Lulu. They'd been promising the pair a sleepover, so decided it would be fun to make it a surprise.

Bo and Lauren took one last look at the two friends before heading to bed themselves. Once in bed, Lauren laid her head on Bo's chest, settling into her usual position with a leg draped over Bo's,

"Are you okay?"

"Getting a little battle anxious."

"Me too. Let's just focus on the time we have before we leave. I want to spend as much time with you and Lulu as possible."

"Agreed." Bo smiled.

"I love you, Izzy."

"I love you too, Lolo."

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_


	11. Chapter 11: Battling the Past

_**A/N: I just want to take a moment to give a long overdue batch of thank you's...**_

 _ **First, a few shoutouts to some twitter peeps. My unofficial but initiative-taking publicist, LewisStark74, who I can always count on to tweet out my story updates to TJ_Kiwi, BadassMer, stimpy8er who also spread the word. Your ongoing support of my work is something I remain grateful for every time I write.**_

 _ **Shout out to WonderChaser, sweetcandycane50, Keldi, Nushel2, mulderchick35, Felicitas, terrihead1, Joannrbb, lazytown2000, loverach, Junetweed for your reviews. You're the virtual peeps who remind me with each review to make time for the 'want-to's' while life is throwing me a load of 'have-to's' (a little flashback of Ethan's words from 'Finding Our Way').**_

 _ **To all of the guest reviewers, since I can't reply to you all, may I just give you a super big THANKS for your continued input and support.**_

 _ **MHD2015, FrenChi, Cheekymadom, Dragonfly00 – thanks for sticking with me through all of my long-winded adventures. You keep me going – often offering up a laugh or two with each chapter.**_

 _ **DinahWas, you're the last person who should be apologizing for not reviewing! I apologize for being so sluggish in getting updates out and not reviewing your work – or at least being too lazy to log in when I do! You've always been a sounding board for me so thank YOU!**_

 _ **I hope you all had a happy holiday. Enjoy a great 2018! Remember to make time for the want-to's in life. Apparently, Bomb Cyclones that leave the east coast of the US snowbound are the prefect time to finish Lost Girl fanfic chapters!**_

 _ **Only one chapter to go after this one!**_

 _ **Love and at least one cuddle a day to all.**_

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 _ **Chapter 11: Battling the Past**_

Bo couldn't take her eyes off of her excited little girl. As they hurled through the darkness beyond the slipstream, only Lulu's screams of delight could be heard in the void. She was riding in the saddle in front of Tamsin on Merlin, reins held perfectly in her hands as the Valkyrie supervised with great scrutiny. While they had been in the Land of Light, Kate had taught Lulu how to ride and fly, so the Valkyrie couple had asked Bo's permission to give her some flight experience on the long ride home. Bo had agreed and was now glad she did. Lulu was in her element and happier than she'd ever seen her.

Of course, the day they'd told her she would be going into battle with them, she was like a firefly buzzing through the flowers in their garden at home. She was even more excited when she'd learned that Kate's Pegasus, Orion, had impregnated Aurora and that there would be a new Pegasus foal in the next seven or so months. It was customary with the Valkyrie that the bonded rider of the stud that sired the foal be the one to choose the first intended rider. Kate had passed that honor to Lulu, much to Lauren's surprise. First, because Pegasus usually only bonded with Valkyrie and second, because there were likely young Valkyrie in Valhalla who needed a steed before Lulu. Lauren had also been a bit concerned about Lulu taking on the responsibility of caring for a Pegasus. They needed their riders much as the Fae needed their mates – well, at least until the Pegasus had mated as Aurora and Orion had.

Bo and Lauren had debated the offer for a few hours, but Bo argued that since Aurora would be staying with them and the foal would be hers, it would be nice to keep the newborn in the family. Lauren had further argued that Pegasus were intended for Valkyrie and Lu was not of their clan, but Acacia had shot down that argument by approving the foal as a gift to the child of The Chosen One. Bo's final argument in favor of the adoption was that it would give Lauren something to share with Lulu beyond books. If that argument didn't work, seeing Lulu atop Seera's new pony a few hours later convinced the blonde. The wide smile and excitement in Lulu's voice as she talked to the young mare had been the convincing point for Lauren. How could she deny her adopted daughter such joy?

For Bo, she knew it was more about her own childhood. She's always wanted a pony, but she wasn't permitted to have one of her own despite plenty of land and a separate Stable House on the property. She'd been permitted to ride the stallions that belonged to the stable boys that worked on their land, but never any of the prized McCorrigan or Dennis steeds.

Bo scowled, thinking of the kids that she used to talk to for hours in the stables. Other than Kyle and Lauren, they were the only friends her own age she'd known. Of course, she wasn't supposed to refer to 'the help' as her friends. Now she knew the hired help, had more likely been Human slaves to her parents with a few Fae workers to make sure they stuck to the one rule. The only saving grace now was that when she had begun living her life of isolation, she had fired all of the workers, keeping only those that actually kept the mansion running. When she met the Amazons shortly after, she gave them the horses as part of the deal to teach her how to defend herself against The Hunters. Now, she could only hope the Humans had found freedom and not been retained by another Fae family... or worse, hunted and killed for their knowledge of the existence of the Fae.

Sitting in the quiet of the void with Lulu's voice in the background, Bo made a promise to herself. When this battle was over, she would seek out the former workers and make sure they were alive and well. If they were still enslaved, she would buy them back and give them a life that afforded them as much freedom as she could safely allow. She leaned into her wife, running her fingers down the golden ponytail that was neatly braided down her back, warrior style. When this was over, Bo would make it her sworn duty to free Humans from the Fae who had enslaved them. No one would suffer as her wife did ever again.

"Are you okay, sweetie?"

Bo's eyes moved from her wife's hair to her daughter's smile, "Perfect."

Lauren looked over her shoulder, "Let me see those eyes of yours."

Bo sat up, making eye contact with her wife, "All brown."

"And a little teary, I believe. Are you sure you're okay?" Lauren asked, her voice filled with concern.

Bo wiped at her cheek, surprised to find tears there, "Oh. I... I didn't realize I'd gotten that emotional. I was just looking at how happy Lulu was on Merlin and then I started thinking about when I was a kid. It occurred to me that our stable boys were likely Human slaves and... well, that made me think of you and that led to thinking about the injustice of Human's being enslaved and... well... I guess I was more upset than I realized."

Lauren leaned back into her wife, allowing Bo to wrap her arms around her torso once again, "You are so compassionate. Sometimes I worry you'll break your own heart."

"I'm okay, Lolo. Really. I just hate the pain that my family has caused in the past. I want to make things right."

"Well then, that's what we're going to do."

Bo leaned in and gave her wife a kiss on the cheek, "You take such good care of my heart. How could it ever break?"

Lauren smiled, her gaze moving to her right where Lulu let out a shout when she saw Saturn on the horizon,

"We're getting close, Izzy. Are you sure you're sufficiently juiced?" Lauren asked.

"My wife keeps me very well fed and she also insisted on bringing me through the Aurora Borealis again. You know how hopped up on chi I get from that."

Lauren laughed, "Well, at least you've learned how to control taking in that much chi."

"I know, right? On the way in to the white lands, I went from zero to horny in like ten seconds. This time I just got a little randy."

Lauren chuckled before her voice asked in a more serious tone, "So do you have any last minute things you want to discuss?"

Bo shook her head, "I think we've covered all of the what if's."

Lauren nodded, "How do you feel about the White Witches offering to make Evony one of them?"

Bo shrugged, "I don't really know her but obviously you felt she was dangerous enough to turn her Human. I understand you don't want her to die of some Human disease well before she's lived a normal Human life span, but are you sure there isn't any reason to be concerned about her regaining her immortality?"

"As a White Witch she will be obligated to their honor code. All members of the coven take vows and to break those vows means death."

"Did you take their vow?"

Lauren nodded, "I didn't have a choice. If I didn't take the vow, I would not have survived."

"That sounds like choosing a side with the Fae."

"Not at all, really. You have a choice to become a White Witch or not. If you choose membership, you take the vows before you become one of them. It protects their secrets. Knowing what I know now, I would not want Evony to have the knowledge of their kind and then have the freedom to use it as the Morrigan would have. As you said, she was dangerous and somewhat powerful."

"Maybe that's her whole angle. The secrets? More power?"

Lauren shook her head, "That may be, since she doesn't know about the vows yet. Once given the choice, her truth will be revealed. As for more power, she will lose favor with the Fae once she becomes a White Witch."

Bo nodded, "Because the Fae don't like them because they are more powerful."

Lauren nodded in reply, "Just like they don't like you because of your power. They will like me even less because I am a Changeling with both the blood of a White Witch and a Valkyrie who is bound to the child of an Ancient. My blood makes me almost as powerful as you. Together, we will be feared."

"And what the Fae fear, they try to destroy?" Bo asked.

Lauren laughed, "But not until we kill the thing they fear most right now."

"My Father and his Hunters."

Lauren nodded, "Precisely."

They were silent for a moment before Lauren asked, "So we agree that Evony joining the witches is a good thing?"

"It sounds like having the former Morrigan join our team can only work in our favor, so yup, good thing."

Lauren smiled, "What about Kenzi?"

"What about her?"

"Are you okay with her being a White Witch as well?"

Bo leaned her head on Lauren's shoulder, "Am I happy that someone I consider a sister chose to join the White Witches instead of joining the Amazons?"

"They offered?"

Bo nodded, "They've wanted to make Kenzi part of the sisterhood for almost as long as I've known them. They knew she was important to me and Lulu, so they wanted her to be protected from the Fae without me having to claim her."

"So I'll take that as a no."

"I don't know, Lolo. She'll be living with them. It will be weird not having her around."

"I had a chance to talk to her a few weeks back. We went for a walk after lunch one day."

"She told me, but she didn't tell me what you guys talked about."

"She expressed her fear of living amongst the Fae back home and how I made her feel weak. She said that here she felt like a part of a community – like she was contributing to something real and important."

Bo frowned, "I'm just surprised she'd give up bar hopping, Lulu and men. Not necessarily in that order, mind you."

Lauren laughed, "Well, we talked about all of those things, actually. First, as a White Witch, she doesn't have to ride a Pegasus all the way home. She can simply take the slipstream here with her staff, so she could literally tuck Lulu in every night."

"And Jadis would let her do that?" Bo asked.

"Kenzi already spoke to her about it. Jadis reminded her that her vows don't make her a prisoner to their lands, only a prisoner to their secrets. She can come and go as she pleases, but must remember her bond to their land. She does derive her power and therefore her life force from that world."

Lauren could feel Bo tense at her words and knew what was coming next,

"You mean she could die if she stays with us for too long?"

"Yes, but..."

"Well, how long can they last when away from there? Should we not be coming home? I will not lose my family!"

She felt Bo begin to dismount so reached back and held her fast, "Bo, calm down. Please. You can't get off of the Pegasus. We're in... well... outer space. Your bond to me is what allows you to breathe here."

She saw Bo's head spin quickly to Lulu and added, "Not that bond... it's a riding thing. Just go with it."

Bo sat down hard in the saddle, her frustration apparent, "Well, answer me then."

"Izzy, I would never knowingly allow any harm to come to anyone in our family."

Bo hung her head, placing a gentle hand on her wife's shoulder, "I know. I'm sorry."

Lauren sighed, allowing what felt like an insult to pass, "White Witches can last for months in our world and, if I can repeat what I said earlier, they can be back on their lands powering up in seconds via the slipstream."

"Right." Bo nodded, leaning her forehead against Lauren's back while taking a few cleansing breaths, "I'm sorry for overreacting. I just..."

"You love them. I get it. Just remember that they're my family now, too... or so you've said."

Bo wrapped her arms around the blonde's torso, "They are... I'm sorry to sound like..."

She faded off, at a loss for words for a long moment while Lauren sat with her bruised ego in silence. Finally, Bo spoke,

"I'm an impulsive ass sometimes. You're right. They're your family too and I know you would never put them in harms way."

"They have to be responsible for their own feeding just like us, Izzy. If they start to feel weak, they'll go."

"What if they get weak during this battle?" Bo asked.

"They'll leave and be back in what is seconds on the earthly plane." Lauren assured.

"But don't they need... time?"

Lauren smiled, "They're not Succubi, Izzy. They need only stand on their land. They're like gigantic wireless chargers."

"Wow. I wish my Succubus could do that."

"Sex with me has already become an inconvenience? Wow, we haven't even been married a year."

"I didn't mean..."

"I know. I was just teasing you."

The pair were silent for a while before Bo asked, "You're part White Witch."

"I am." Lauren replied.

"Does that mean you have to go back there to charge up too?"

Lauren nodded, "Jadis told me you knew."

"Knew what?"

"That I would have to return there on occasion."

Bo sighed, "So you do."

"Yes, sweetie, but like the new Kenzi, I can use the slipstream."

"What about Aurora?" Bo asked.

"She's born of Valhalla, not the Land of Light. I don't have to take Aurora. I just enjoy the ride on the slipstream for a few seconds and I'm there. It's actually quite a rush."

Bo smiled, "But the ride on Aurora is quite peaceful and I'm sure Lulu would be happy to come with you since I guess she will have to go back and forth."

Lauren nodded, "She has acquired a bond with the land, so yes she will."

Bo frowned, "I still don't understand how that happened."

Lauren went to speak, but Bo interrupted, "And I don't need to know right now. I just... I'm just glad she's powerful enough to defend herself from anything that tries to harm her."

The pair looked over at their little girl who was now sound asleep in Tamsin's arms, a small smile on her adorable face.

"She does enjoy flying." Lauren smiled.

Bo laughed, "She enjoys anything that has a pinch of danger added. She's our little adrenaline junkie."

Lauren nodded, leaning back into the arms of her wife, "Bo, you have to stay alive for her."

"Defeating my Father is the priority, Lauren. If he is able to bring enough energy through the portal to take human form, the world ends. We both know that I am the only one that can stop him. My survival is secondary to the survival of all life on earth. As hard as it is for me to say that... as hard as that is for you to hear, you know I'm right."

Lauren's eyes welled with tears as the reality of her wife's words finally touched her heart. At the end of this day, she could lose the love she had waited so long to be reunited with. She could lose the future she had allowed herself to dream of after they'd married. She sat up, removing herself from the familiar warmth of Bo's embrace and leaned forward. Just the feel of the chill without her wife's arms around her brought forth thoughts of never being held by her again. She wept, silently... or so she thought.

"Lolo, please don't. I'm still here."

Bo leaned forward into her wife's back and, reaching around her, took the reins, bringing Aurora to a stop. She looked over to Tamsin and waved her ahead, then watched as the pack passed them by. They would catch up in a few minutes. She knew Aurora could handle the pace. Right now, her wife was her priority. She climbed over Lauren's leg and turned to sit in front of her.

"Hey. Look at me." Bo said softly, lifting Lauren's chin so she could look into her eyes. What she saw broke her heart. Her tear-stained cheeks were already red from the wind and those beautiful big eyes that Bo loved so much were filled with tears that continued to cascade down her face,

"You're kind of breaking my heart here."

"Then we're even." Lauren replied.

"Lolo, I'm still here and I need you to believe in me. Like I said, I have no plan to lay my life down in exchange for my Father's – not without a fight."

"But you said..."

"I know and I need you to know that those are the stakes... but that doesn't mean I plan to just forfeit my life without need to do so."

She took Lauren's face in her hands and placed a firm yet gentle kiss on her lips, lingering for a long before placing two more soft pecks before she spoke,

"I am madly, deeply in love with you, Lauren Lewis Dennis. My daughter is madly, deeply in love with you as well. We both have a future planned with you, so please know that none of us should have any plans of giving up on a life together. We both know we would die before allowing anything to happen to Lulu or each other and we both worry she would do the same for us. We are three stubborn women who have no plan to die today, so let's focus on that, okay?"

Lauren shrugged, "But Lulu and I are fighting Hunters and we have an army with us. You will only have a few people... two of whom we don't know if we can trust."

Bo nodded, "So this is about Trick and Aoife?"

"I don't like that your life is in their hands. I think they would both sacrifice you to save themselves. I don't understand why I can't..."

"Lauren, we talked about this..."

"I know that you want Lulu and I together, but now I'm beginning to think it's so Lulu will have me as a Mother."

"That is the plan if anything happens to me, but I don't plan on leaving you. How can I make you understand..."

"You can take us with you." Lauren interrupted, her words sure and firm.

"Lauren..."

"No, Bo. You need to listen to me. I know that we met with the council and I know that the group decided that... strategically, at least... it was best for us to divide and conquer, but I didn't like the idea when I was sitting in that yurt and I don't like the idea sitting here in space. My gut is telling me that Lulu and I need to be by your side."

Bo saw Lauren's eyes flash white as the blonde struggled to contain her power for a moment. The Succubus frowned,

"I'm sorry..." Bo began, but Lauren interrupted,

"No, you're not and I'm not truly your partner in life if you won't listen to me over a bunch of people who aren't even mentioned in this Prophecy that brought all of us together."

"Lauren, that was before I knew that Jadis was my sister. She shares my blood."

"No, Bo... she doesn't. She shares Hades blood, but she has a different Mother. You have the blood of three powerful beings coursing through your veins. She may be a daughter of Hades, but she does not have Trick's blood or Aoife's blood in her. I believe that combination makes all the difference in the world."

"Why?"

"You can reanimate the dead with a breath. She can't. You can take a life with a breath. She can't."

Bo lowered her eyes, "So do you think I should leave Jadis to fight The Hunters?"

Lauren shook her head, "No, I believe she should go with us. Everyone from the Prophecy plus Lulu and Jadis."

"I'm worried about Lulu going near the portal, Lo."

Lauren nodded, "I understand, Bo but I believe that her gift of foresight could be crucial to your success. Her ability as an Empath may also help you to read your Father's Hunters. If anyone tries to hurt her, then she'll use her Conduit abilities to deflect their powers back onto them."

"Jadis is still not completely certain she'll retain her White Witch powers once we're in the earthly plane. She told you that, right?"

"She did."

"Honestly, I feel like I've lost control of my own daughter's life and well-being. So many things are happening to her that I don't understand and..."

Lauren reached out and stilled her wife's hands, "Izzy, let me try to explain. You understand her Conduit abilities, correct?"

"For the most part, yes."

"So we believe that because the land is the source of the White Witches' power, her Conduit drew their power from that source. Because she had their powers, they put her through the ceremony to be sure she was bound to their laws."

"Just like Kenzi and Evony."

Lauren nodded, "Right."

"So now that she's not on their land, those powers are gone."

"Maybe. Remember that the White Witches retain their powers for quite some time despite not being on their land. I retained mine weeks."

"And if it's not the same for her?"

"Izzy, she'll still have more than enough powers as a Fae to fight her attackers. She's smart, Izzy. Trust her."

"I guess I just want to know that she'll be able to shimmer away if she gets into trouble." Bo replied.

Lauren nodded, "I understand and that's the first thing we'll have her try when we get there, okay?"

"Okay." Bo replied, leaning into her wife.

"But even if she doesn't, that nifty gift of Foresight she inherited from her Father should be enough to warn her when to run versus when to stay and fight."

Bo hung her head, "Fight."

"What's that?"

"It's just strange to hear the word fight associated with my daughter. She's spent her entire life learning how to run and hide when The Hunters came around. This will be the first time she's actually faced them." Bo looked up at Lauren, her eyes filled with tears, "I'm so scared, Lolo."

"We won't let anything happen to her, Izzy. We'll die first." Lauren assured, giving Bo's hands a squeeze.

"We stick together then... the three of us."

Lauren nodded, wrapping her arms around the brunette whose head fell into her chest. The blonde just held her wife for a long moment before she whispered,

"I'm so in love with you, Izzy and... if I'm going to lose you... or you me... I want to be with you until the last possible second."

Bo sat up, her hand going to her wife's face. She traced along her temple and down along her jaw, pushing the curtain of hair that draped over her eye behind her ear. Leaning in, she kissed her gently once on the corner of her mouth, then kissed her again fully, deepening the kiss. She was desperate for a future with this woman and wanted to savor the feel and taste of her so she would have something to motivate her should she begin to lose herself to the darkness that was her Father. She slowly ended the kiss, pulling back only far enough to separate their lips.

Lauren sat staring at the beauty that was her wife. Her eyes were closed as she rubbed her lips together. It was a familiar site that the blonde was quite familiar with. She knew that Bo was savoring the taste of their kiss. It was something she usually did herself, but right now, she wanted to commit the image of her wife to memory amidst the backdrop of stars that illuminated the sky. She leaned in, kissing her thoroughly once more before she pulled back,

"We should go before Lulu wakes up and starts to worry."

Bo nodded, "I know."

She wrapped her arms around her wife, pulling her impossibly close. The held each other for a long while before Bo whispered,

"You'll always be my Lolo and I will be forever in love with you... heart and soul."

Lauren pulled back, smiling, "That's it."

"What?" Bo asked.

Lauren's eyes were moving quickly back and forth as she processed her thoughts. Bo waited patiently until finally, the blonde looked up at her, smiling,

"Hades can't use me, you or Lulu. He can't possess us."

"What are you talking about?"

"We're mated and Lulu is our daughter. Our souls are linked. He can't use my soul anymore than he can use yours or Lulu's. My soul belongs to you and you alone. I'm yours, Izzy... past, present and future until the day I die just as you are mine and mine alone. Lulu is a part of our bond."

Bo smiled, "I think you may just have something there, Doctor Lewis."

Lauren smiled as Bo offered her hand, "Together?"

The blonde nodded, placing her hand in Bo's, "Together. Wherever you go, by your side I will remain."

Bo nodded, "And I by yours."

Giving her wife another gentle kiss, Bo climbed back behind the blonde, wrapping her arms around her waist before Lauren signaled Aurora to catch up to the group.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

Lauren had pushed Aurora to her limit to catch up with the group, but as expected, her Pegasus had recovered easily. Then, she had taken a short nap before Rory gave a little buck to wake her. Lauren had immediately reached back to make sure Bo stayed aboard, but she had only laughed when she found the Succubus had remained dead to the world. She knew it was because her wife had exhausted herself with all of her worrying, but she wouldn't be Bo Dennis Lewis if she didn't care enough to worry about everyone and everything.

Lauren loved riding Aurora and it was only better with Bo or Lulu on board. It saddened her knowing that they would soon have to part ways as they were now nearing the surface of Earth... more specifically, the McCorrigan lands. It was time to prepare for battle. She would be on the ground and Aurora would be aiding in the evacuation.

The plan was for most of the Valkyrie to fly high above the battlefield, each with a White Witch in their saddle and an additional Pegasus at their side. Rory would be serving as a side horse for transport. The plan was to hoist the dead Hunters and take them immediately to Valhalla for judgment on the backs of the lone Pegasus steeds.

The White Witches were there for defense since the dead would still be close enough to the portal to reanimate. If the dead were allowed to reanimate on the ground, the battle would rage for weeks or even months. Hades would not only use his Hunters, but the dead on their side as well. He would have an endless supply of soldiers while their side would slowly diminish. If that happened, they would surely lose the war.

So, it was decided that the Pegasus of the ground troops would be used to transport the dead to Valhalla after the White Witches had determined their souls were pure. Speed would be of the essence, so they would use the Bifröst. Lauren chuckled to herself as she thought of Bo's response when Acacia had explained first mentioned it to Bo. The Succubus couldn't understand how 'beef roast' was going to help rid them of the dead. Lauren had explained that it was spelled 'Bifröst' and that it was a rainbow bridge that connected what the Norse Gods called the 'World of Humanity' or 'Midgard' to the plane of Asgard, a land not far from Valhalla.

Lauren felt a strong pull as they entered the outer atmosphere of her home planet. She leaned forward and whispered in Aurora's ear, speaking in the language of the Valkyries,

"Hey there, Momma. We're almost there. I'm going to be on the ground with Bo and Lulu. You understand, girl. I know you do. Besides, I'm not taking any chances with that little one you're carrying. Instead, you're going to be flying alongside Bright and Tessa. She'll carry the White Witch while you carry the dead to Asgard after they retrieve them, okay? You know the way. I need you to be swift as you carry them along the Bifröst, girl. The longer they're in this realm, the more likely they could reanimate while they're on your back and we can't have any Hunters making it to Asgard or Valhalla. You understand, Momma?"

Lauren smiled as Aurora whinnied and nodded her head in response, "That's my girl. You just take care of yourself and that baby of yours. You know Lulu is hoping that she'll bond with her. Personally, I'd love it if our daughters were together."

Again, Aurora whinnied in response earning a broad smile from Lauren, "I thought you'd like that. Be brave, but don't be reckless. I can't lose you, Rory. I love you, girl. Please be careful. There's an extra bag of carrots in it for you if you come back without a scratch."

Blowing out a breath, Aurora dove into the breach as all the colors of a sunset passed them by. This was Lauren's favorite part about coming back to Earth. When they broke into the upper atmosphere, the sky was filled with stars. It was dark on this side of the planet - something that would allow them to land undetected as well as organize before they attacked at sunrise.

Aurora leveled out their flight as she hovered over the ocean below. Lauren sat up in her saddle once again and felt Bo's arms wrap around her, a warm kiss pressed to her cheek.

"You're finally awake?" Lauren asked.

"Yea, sorry I nodded off." Bo replied, wiping some drool from the corner of her mouth.

Lauren smiled, "I was just kidding. I actually napped as well. Rory just woke me up about fifteen minutes ago."

"Do you think she'll understand what she's supposed to do? I mean... without you riding her?"

Lauren chuckled, "All Pegasus can understand the language of the Valkyrie, Izzy."

"Right. I knew that."

"I know you did. Brace yourself for landing."

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

The group landed by the lake and organized into battle groups. Lauren and Bo stood close by as Lulu made the rounds to all of her favorite steeds to say goodbye. She spoke the language of the Valkyrie with a near perfect accent as she wished Merlin and Orion good luck, asking them to watch out for Aurora since she was carrying her soon-to-be bonded Pegasus. Aurora had whinnied at the words, making Lulu smile widely at Bo and Lauren. Finally, she moved to Aurora and asked Lauren to lift her into her saddle. She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around her neck as far as they would go, laying there for a long while before Bo told her it was time to let the Pegasus go to get some rest.

With one more whisper, Aurora lowered her head and extended a leg so that Lulu could slide off, then headed over to Lauren, pressing her head into her neck. Lauren's eyes flooded with tears as she took her turn whispering into her ear,

"You just come back safe."

Nodding her head, she turned to Bo and lowered her head to the ground.

"Lauren, what is she doing?"

"She's acknowledging your position as The Chosen One. She won't stand again until you bow in response, Bo."

Bo frowned, shaking her head as she walked towards Aurora. She knelt down near the Pegasus and placed a hand on the side of her strong jaw,

"You know I can't speak your language, so I hope you can understand me."

Bo looked up, suddenly realizing her wife had come to kneel next to her so she could translate for Aurora. The brunette smiled at her wife before turning back to the Pegasus. As she spoke, Lauren translated,

"You are bonded to my wife. I am not your Queen. I am your sister and today, we will do all we can to free our lands of the evil that is Hades. We will free the souls of the dead and provide a safe future for Lauren and Lulu. Agreed?"

Bo leaned back as the large animal stood up, rearing up on its hind legs before landing and nodding its large head vigorously. Bo looked at Lauren who smiled,

"She agrees."

Bo moved to the Pegasus and wrapped her arms around her neck, "Be safe. Lauren needs you."

Backing away, she watched as Aurora gave one more look towards Lauren then trotted off to where the rest of the herd was awaiting her lead.

"They truly are magnificent creatures." Bo stated.

All eyes were on the group as they leapt effortlessly into the air, their wings spread wide, "They certainly are." Acacia said.

"Godspeed." said Kate.

Selia spoke, "Okay, your Father will feel our presence soon. The Amazons are to meet us just outside the borders of our land with the Fae. They've established residency at an old abandoned hotel there. Once we arrive on those grounds, he should not be able to sense us as our Shamanist has cast spells to protect the premises."

Bo nodded, "Let's move quickly then."

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

Arriving at the hotel, Bo and Lauren were shocked to find it was the hotel where their prom had been held. Each of them took one of Lulu's hands before they scaled the familiar outdoor staircase. Upon entering the hotel, Bo gasped,

"It looks like this place has aged two hundred years instead of just ten."

Lauren took in their surroundings, "Vandals?"

Bo shook her head, "I'm not sure."

Acacia approached the trio, "We've found weapons lying around everywhere. The beds are flipped and blocking the windows in almost every room. There was a battle here."

"The Hunters?" Bo asked.

Acacia shook her head, "Not according to Dyson and the other shifters. The scent is Human."

Tamsin came to stand next to her commander, "They think The Hunters attacked from the outside. The Humans defended themselves. What happened to them remains to be seen."

Bo and Lauren looked down when Lulu pulled her hands free. She had a hand to her chest as one hand pointed to the ballroom,

"They're in there."

Bo knelt down beside her daughter, "Belle?"

Lulu turned to look at Bo, "I can feel them. They're afraid."

Lauren moved towards the doors, but Bo reached out and gripped her wrist. The blonde turned back to her wife,

"Stay here with Lu."

Drawing her sword from her sheath, she nodded to Acacia and Tamsin who drew their swords as well. Acacia called out,

"Valkyrie, on me!"

The women rushed to Acacia's side, the sound of metal sliding from sheaths echoing through the large foyer, its' high ceiling and grand spiral staircase carrying the sound to alert the Amazons who were upstairs. Deeana came to stand beside Bo with Seera, who threw an arm over Lulu's shoulder,

"Does your heart hurt?" she asked her friend.

Lulu nodded, leaning her head on her shoulder, "They're really, really scared."

The sound of a sword being slowly drawn from its sheath drew the young girls' attention. The pair turned to see Bo stepping in front of them, her weapon now at the ready,

"Ma, don't hurt them, ok?"

"Hush, Lu." Bo replied, her eyes glowing blue as she watched Acacia stop Lauren. The blonde nodded, allowing Acacia to grip the door handle and pull while all stood at the ready.

Nothing happened.

"Tessa, forward." Acacia ordered, "Caution, ladies."

A group of six warriors entered the room with Lauren in the center at the rear, her eyes glowing white allowing her to see the room before her sisters could,

"Halt." She stated firmly, her sisters quickly heeded the command.

She stepped between them, moving to the front of the pack, "Light, please."

The room was illuminated as quickly as the order was given and seconds later, Lauren quickly gave another order, the tone of her voice one of urgency,

"Get me the witches! Now!"

"What the..." Acacia asked.

"Odin help them." Kate said, horrified by what she saw, "Why?"

Lauren moved forward, to a middle-aged woman who seemed to be protecting the group, "You're safe."

"Wh-who... who are you?" The woman asked, reaching out to the blonde.

Lauren took her hand, "I'm a doctor. We're here to help."

"You have to leave. You can't help us! They'll come for you!"

"Who?"

"The dead! They're... I know this will sound like something out of one of those science fiction TV shows, but they're... they're zombies! If you look at them, you become one of them!"

"So to prevent that..."

"We cut out our eyes. We're of no use to them if we can't see."

Lauren looked up at Kate who was shaking her head, "Gods, Lauren. These poor people."

"What's your name?" Lauren asked.

"I'm Paulette, but my friends call me Letty." The woman replied, "Are you from here?"

Taking the offered penlight from Tamsin, Lauren checked the woman's eyes as she replied, "I lived here as a child. We noticed the hotel was set up like a battlefield. How many of you were here?"

Letty replied, "All of us."

"All of you?"

She nodded, "The entire town was attacked. It took months for the doctors to figure out what was happening. When they finally did, many of us had already been turned. The Mayor decided our best chance was to gather in large numbers and try to kill them off. He divided everyone that was still alive into groups and sent them to the high school, the library, the mall and this hotel."

"How many were in each place?"

Letty shrugged, "Depending on the size of the space, anywhere from a hundred to two hundred maybe?"

"Do you know anything about the other locations?"

Letty shook her head, "We were afraid to try to leave... not being able to see. They stopped attacking once we took our eyes. We didn't know if they had overrun the town or not."

Lauren looked up at Acacia who nodded and turned to Tamsin, "Divide the troops and check the other locations. Bo will be able to give you directions. Arm up before you go and make sure each platoon has a Shaman with them. If anyone remains in those locations, set up wards to keep out the Hunters. Protect anyone who lives."

Tamsin gave a nod and left the room, taking the majority of the Valkyrie with her. The Amazons followed as the White Witches entered the room behind Jadis.

"Child?"

Lauren looked up at her Mother, "This is Letty. She and the others took their own eyes to prevent the..." she winked, "... _zombies_ from possessing them. It seems they cannot do so if the host cannot see."

Jadis nodded, "Interesting. Letty, are you certain your blindness is the reason the... _zombies_ let you alone?"

Letty shrugged, "We always thought that zombies had to bite you to infect you, but people were turning into them without being touched. One of our doctors figured out that it was their glowing eyes. I mean, all we had to go on was what we'd seen in movies. We'd never seen glowing eye zombies before."

Jadis nodded, "Thank you, Letty. We are going to do what we can for you and your people. If we can heal your eyes, you may become candidates for... uh... eye transplants at some point. It's our best chance at restoring your sight."

Letty panicked, "No! If you give us back our sight, they could possess us! We'd rather die!"

Lauren placed a hand on Letty's forearm, "We will not restore your sight until we eliminate the zombie problem, okay?"

Letty nodded, "Okay. But if you can see, they'll come back."

Lauren's mind immediately searched her science fiction background, "I assure you we're safe here. Obviously you now know that not all of what is in TV and movies is fiction. We have set up a force field around the hotel that will prevent the zombies from getting in. Right now, we just need you to relax. I promise you and your friends are safe here."

Letty sighed, "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

Lauren stood, placing a gentle hand on Jadis' shoulder, "Take care of them?"

"We will, child. Now, go see your wife and child. They're anxious to hear what you've found."

Lauren nodded and exited the room, finding Bo, Lulu, Seera and Deeana sitting on the bottom step of the grand staircase.

Bo stood, walking towards her, "What's going on? Tamsin said there were Humans in there?"

Lauren nodded, leading Bo back to the staircase where she explained to the group what they'd found and learned from Letty. Lulu had said she'd felt the woman's relief spread through the group just before Lauren had come to find them. She was happy they felt safe.

"Mom, I think we need to clean this place up if these people are going to stay here. They can't see so they can't walk around without falling. It's not safe."

Both Lauren and Bo turned to look at their daughter before smiling at each other. Bo shrugged while Lauren replied,

"You're absolutely right, Lu. Do you have a plan?"

Lulu stood up, brushing off her pants, "I say we have the Amazons do the cleaning, the Valkyries do the repairing and the White Witches can handle getting each family a space of their own."

She started to walk away, but stopped when she saw a young girl walking along the wall, feeling her way down the hallway. She turned back to Lauren,

"Mom, what do I do with the people that don't have a family anymore?"

Lauren stood and walked with Lulu towards the young girl, "I don't know. What do you think?"

She looked at Bo and gave her a wink as Lulu replied, "I think they have each other."

Lulu nodded towards the girl, "If she can't see me, I might scare her if I just walk up to her and say hello. What do I do?"

"Come on, I'll show you." Lauren replied, leading her daughter towards the youngster.

Bo sighed, standing up to head into the ballroom. She was supposed to be the leader here, so it was time she saw the damage done by her Father. As she entered the room, she looked up at the tall ceiling where the chandeliers hung, undamaged by the battle. Most of the room was somewhat unscathed, but as her eyes traveled down to the people now scattered across the floor as the witches tended their wounds, she was horrified.

Her feet felt like they anchors as she tried her best to move towards the aftermath. She could feel the bile rising up in her throat as she saw the dark holes where each victim's eyes once were. Blood trails dotted their cheeks and groans of pain filled the room. The glowing hands of the witches did nothing but illuminate the dreadful scene, serving to engrain gory the images in Bo's mind.

As her gaze traveled the room, she began to recognize some of the occupants of the room. There was Mr. Gaines who had sold her the first car she had ever bought by herself. He was much older now, but she'd recognize him anywhere. He's had the most beautiful green eyes. There was Mrs. McNamara, her third grade teacher. She was the kindest teacher she'd ever had, always taking time to put stickers on her papers. There was Mrs. Leeds who owned the diner on the corner of Main and Market Streets. Bo looked quickly around the room, trying to find her husband, but didn't see him. Maybe he'd passed years ago or maybe he'd been killed in the fight.

"Amy Whitehall." She whispered as she looked to her right to find Lauren standing beside her.

"I didn't she had stayed in town."

Bo shook her head, "I should have known. I've been checking in on the townspeople every day since The Hunters arrived. She was Homecoming Queen when we were sophomores. She graduated from Stanford, but came back home to take care of her Dad. He has... or had... lung cancer."

"I'm so sorry, Bo."

"This is my fault, Lolo. This is all on me."

She looked to the corner of the room, "Are all of those people in that corner... dead?"

Lauren nodded, "I'm afraid so. There are blood vessels in the eyes and it is likely they bled out."

Bo was overcome with emotion, her mind filling with thoughts...

 _I should have been here. I could have stopped this. Everyone in the town was fine before I left. If I had stayed, his focus would have stayed on me. How could he do this? These people were all innocents. They did nothing to him._

"Bo? Bo!"

Lauren moved to stand in front of her wife, her hands gripping both of her shoulders as she stared into glowing blue eyes,

"Bo, sweetie. Snap out of it. Please... come back to me."

Slowly, big brown eyes traveled to meet Lauren's, "I did this."

"Sweetie, you did nothing of the kind."

"They were fine until I left. I should have stayed. He never would have had the chance to harm them if I had been here. The battle would have remained in the woods on our family lands."

"Bo, the Amazons found the source. He raised the dead in the town cemetery. They didn't leave your lands, he's simply gained enough power to reach the land adjacent to your property."

Bo's eyes flashed blue once again, "He will pay. He will pay for every life he's taken. He will pay for every sunset and sunrise these people will never see again."

Lauren's eyes glowed white as her wife's power coursed through her body. She struggled to maintain control as their proximity to the portal magnified her wife's influence tenfold.

"Sister." Jadis shook Bo by the shoulders, before turning to Lauren, "Daughter!"

Lauren spoke, her tone of voice distorted, "I am the mate of Ysabeau, The Chosen One. Only she shall choose who lives and who dies. She will destroy the one called Hades and rein as Queen."

The blonde suddenly dropped to the ground, with Bo landing on top of her. Jadis looked up to see Kate and Tamsin standing behind the pair with fireplace tools in hand. Jadis sighed as Tamsin offered,

"What? We were making a fire to warm the room, saw you were having trouble getting the two power-trippers in line, so... we improvised."

Kate added, "Would you rather us allow Bo to start chi-sucking the entire hotel?"

Jadis relented, "Fine. But you two are carrying them to a bed."

The witch walked from the room, shaking her head as Kate and Tamsin shrugged.

"You get the head." Kate said, bending down to pick up Bo's feet.

"Why do I get the heaviest part?" Tamsin asked.

"Because it was your idea to knock them unconscious." Kate replied.

"Oh, right. Now it's my fault. Would you rather have tried to talk them out of their chi-induced haze?"

"Just walk." Kate groaned.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

Bo and Lauren had woken up about an hour later and took advantage of some alone time to cure their massive headaches. Neither could remember what had happened, so after their sexual healing session made their way downstairs from the room they had found themselves in.

They were shocked to see the hotel had been transformed. Candles illuminated the areas that had no light, windows had been boarded up and painted white to match the walls, carpet had been pulled up to reveal clean hardwood floors beneath and the debris that had littered almost every inch of the place was gone.

"Wow, remind me to hire an Amazon as a maid." Lauren quipped.

Bo laughed, "They're not for hire. They do barter though."

"Oh really?" Lauren asked.

Bo nodded, "They always kept an eye on Lulu for me from the trees when I had to go out to... feed."

Lauren smiled, "It's okay, Bo. You had a biological imperative and I wasn't around. Even if I was, I was likely Human back then."

"Thanks."

"For what?" Lauren asked.

"For accepting me for who and what I am."

Lauren smiled, "You're my Izzy. I will always love you for who and what you are just as you always have done for me."

"Ma! Mom! Look! We made s'mores on the fire!"

The couple turned to see Lulu and Seera running towards them with the young girl they'd met earlier between them.

Bo smiled, "Well, they look delicious! How'd you manage that?"

"Tessa and some of the other Val... women... went out to the grocery stores and picked up some food." Lulu replied, "We made them on the fires. Did you know this hotel has five fireplaces?"

Lulu managed to catch herself before she gave too much information about the fact that they were not Human to their new friend.

Bo and Lauren smiled, "Actually, we did. Your Mom and I had our prom here when we were kids. Did they find enough food for everyone?"

Seera shook her head, "Nah. They said a lot of stuff was bad since no one had been tending to the markets for a long time. They did find a lot of frozen foods and the rest is canned, boxed or bagged."

"I gave Dara a recipe for soup! They found really big pots in the hotel kitchen and there were plenty of canned vegetables and spices."

Lauren looked at the newcomer, "So, are you going to introduce us to your new friend, girls?"

Seera smiled and responded quickly, "This is Rachel. She can't find her family so we were trying to help her find them."

Bo and Lauren shared a concerned glance, but were interrupted by Rachel's voice, "I know they may not be alive, but I'd rather no for sure then spend the rest of my life wondering."

Bo started to speak, but the youngster cut her off, "It's okay. We had all watched a lot of people die before we decided to split up. I know my parents and brother are probably dead... or worse, they're zombies. We said our goodbyes before they came. We all knew this could happen. It's just... it's still sad, ya know?"

Bo knelt down in front of the girl, "I do know."

Lulu placed a hand on her new friend's shoulder, "I lost my Daddy when I was young. Death sucks but my Moms are going to get rid of the zombies, right Moms?"

Bo and Lauren nodded, "We are certainly going to try."

"Thank you. Uh... can someone get me to the bathroom? I gotta pee."

Everyone laughed as Seera and Lulu each took a hand and led Rachel off to find a bathroom.

"You know, it's nice that our daughter is able to make fast friends better than we did as kids." Lauren said, throwing an arm over Bo's shoulder.

Bo laughed, "She's always been a little social butterfly. If I'd let her, she would have tried to make friends with The Hunters when she was a kid."

"What do you say we go for a walk and see what damage has been done to the town?" Lauren asked.

Bo nodded, "Sounds good. Let's find Deeana and ask her to keep an eye on our Lulu while we're gone."

Lauren nodded in reply, taking Bo's hand as she walked towards the ballroom once again.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

"I didn't realize it was this cold out." Bo said as she and Lauren walked along the river trail.

"It's a different kind of cold here, right? It bites a bit more than in the homeland." Lauren replied.

"It's still strange for me to hear that you don't consider this home. I mean... we walked this path every day after school for most of our lives."

Lauren shrugged, "Now that I do remember. What's strange is that I remember my parents and my brother, but I don't remember much about the earliest years. Do you remember that family picture I always carried in my wallet as a kid?"

"The one when you were at the beach in the summer?"

"That's the one. My brother and I had just finished building a big sand castle. We were what, five or six years old?"

Nodding, Bo replied, "Close enough. I think you said you were seven and your brother was six."

"Well, I know it happened because I have photographic evidence, but I can't remember the day at all. I can't remember the trip at all. It's like that part of my life never happened."

"Wow. That must be strange."

"It is, but that's not the hardest part."

Bo gave her hand a squeeze, "Wanna talk about what the hardest part is?"

Lauren shrugged, "Do you remember telling Lulu that I had a happy childhood?"

"She asked me what you were like when you were a kid. She wanted to know if you were always really smart and nice."

Lauren smiled, "And you told her..."

"I told her yes, of course. Then she asked me if your family was smart and nice too. When I asked her why she wanted to know, she told me that she wanted grandparents who didn't make me angry."

Lauren gave a laugh, "And what did you tell her?"

"I told her that you were really happy when you were little, but when you got older, you and your parents didn't get along so much." Bo replied.

Lauren nodded, but remained silent, her eyes traveling towards the rapidly moving water. Bo gave her a moment, but when she didn't reply, she began to worry,

"Lolo? You alright?" Bo brought her to a stop and wrapped her arms around her waist, leaning into her line of sight to catch her eyes.

Lauren smiled, "I've lost the only happy memories I had with my family. What I remember is the time when things became all about my parents controlling my life and my brother getting into trouble. The picture tells me that what you told Lulu is true, but I don't remember laughing or smiling like I was in that picture. I don't remember my parents ever holding or hugging me like they are in the picture. It's like I know I had a happy childhood, but can't feel it."

Bo nodded, "Is there anything I can do to help you with that?"

Shrugging, Lauren replied, "Not really. Let's just make sure that Lulu has the happiest life we can possibly give her, okay?"

"Okay." Bo smiled, kissing her wife gently on the lips.

"We should get moving."

"Okay. Do you remember where Mr. and Mrs. Harley's yard is so we can cut through to get to Midtown?" Bo asked.

Lauren smiled, "Now that I remember. Come on."

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

"Okay, all of the kids are in one of the rooms marked grand suite on the top floor." Tamsin said, descending the grand staircase where Kate was waiting for her.

"Great. All of the injured humans are set up in rooms on the first and second floor. We found the laundry. It was loaded with clean linens. Two of our newly blind guests are plumbers, one is an engineer and another one is an architect. They're working with Tessa and her maintenance crew to find and fix anything these people need to be safe while they're here. She also has them restoring the water and electrical."

Just as she finished her statement, the lights came on leading everyone to cheer. Kate smiled at her,

"I guess we can charge phones and get some food cooked since we'll have a stove and refrigeration in the kitchen."

Tamsin nodded, "The Amazons sent out a hunting party in the woods at the other end of town. They should be back with something we can use for protein for these people. Did Bo and Lauren say anything about our schedule?"

"No, why?" Kate asked.

"I'm just wondering if they're delaying the attack to care for these people."

Kate shrugged, "And lose the element of surprise?"

Tamsin frowned, "I'm pretty sure we've already lost that little advantage."

"Why do you say that?"

Both Valkyrie turned towards the sound of Acacia's voice, "Because no Hunters have arrived here despite the fact that we arrived three hours ago. The Humans were expecting us to be them, which tells us they have been under siege quite regularly. Why haven't they been here?"

Kate nodded her understanding, knowing that her superior wasn't actually asking a question, but instead making a point.

"So does that change our plan of attack?" Kate asked.

Acacia sighed, folding her arms in front of her, "Now that will depend on what they find in town. Bo wants to be sure there are no more Humans who could be used as hosts. If so, additional troops could be raised and attack from the rear..."

"Trapping us in the woods between two lines of soldiers with no way to retreat and reform our lines." Tamsin finished for the leader.

"So if she finds more Humans, what does she plan to do? Blind them?" Kate asked.

"No, no of course not. Lauren has an idea of how to make a device that would send a sedative of sorts through the ventilation shafts of a large room. She'll put them all to sleep and then we'll transport them to somewhere far enough away to prevent them from being used as hosts."

Tamsin mumbled to Kate, "The Doc is super smart."

"You mean scary smart." Kate replied.

The two laughed before Acacia spoke, "Okay you two. You have kid duty in five, so go do what you have to do and then relieve Kenzi and the Fae who are babysitting."

Kate shrugged, "We'll try but Kenzi is not going to let Lulu out of her sight until the Moms are back. Deeana or Selia will want to stay with Seera and Dyson or Ciara will want to stay with their daughter... what's her name again?"

Tamsin mumbled, "Kara. Hopefully the three little chicklets will be asleep by the time we get there. Come on. Let's get snacks."

Acacia laughed, "Oh believe me, there are plenty of snacks in there already."

Tamsin and Kate turned to each other and spoke in unison, "Kenzi."

"Where the hell does that girl put all of the food she eats?" Acacia asked.

Tamsin snarked, "Her left leg is hollow."

The two turned and walked to the ballroom.

"It really is amazing how much food that kid can eat." Kate said, casually.

Tamsin nodded, "I thought I ate a lot, but that girl can eat me under a table. When this is over, we should enter her into one of those food-eating competitions. I bet we could make a heap of cash."

Entering the grand room, the pair stopped in the doorway to take in the scene before them. They were happy to see everyone together with friends and loved ones before they went into battle. It didn't look like anyone was in a hurry to leave the company of the group.

Kenzi had set up a gaming console for each of the TV's she and Tamsin had picked up for the night from an abandoned electronics store. Lulu, Seera, Kara and the other kids were playing on the smaller TV while consuming large quantities of hot chocolate and snacks.

"These kids are gonna get sick. I am not doing vomit duty tonight." Tamsin said, crossing her arms over her chest.

Kate laughed, "Come on. Let's go talk to Kenzi and find out where she wants us. She can't cook for shit, but if she hears that the kitchen is up and running again, she might be able to convince someone to start opening those cans down there to make something that resembles a hot meal for the Humans upstairs. Lauren wanted them to have as much food and water as they can eat and drink as soon as they can."

"Sounds good." Tamsin replied, following Kate towards the group.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

Now about three miles away from the hotel, Bo and Lauren had just arrived at their former High School. They'd not found anyone in the town, which they had hoped was a good sign... a sign that everyone had gone to one of the other two locations they had yet to check.

They looked at each other for a long moment before Lauren reached for the door handle. Bo placed a hand on hers, stopping her from pulling the door open,

"What if people recognize us, Lo?" Bo asked.

Lauren shrugged, "Do you want me to shimmer in so they can't see me? If they're blinded like the people at the hotel, we can go in. If not, we go back and get Tamsin and Dyson to flash their police badges and make up some story that will explain this mess."

Bo nodded, "I think that's probably the best idea. You're sure they won't be able to see you?"

Lauren pulled her phone from her pocket, "Turn yours on too. How much battery do you have left?"

Both women powered up their devices, their eyes traveling over their surroundings while they waited,

"Do you remember this place?" Bo asked.

Lauren nodded, "They painted."

Bo chuckled, "That's what you noticed first?"

Lauren shook her head, "Actually, the first thing I noticed was that."

The blonde pointed at a corner display hanging on the wall to which Bo replied, "The Memorial Wall?"

Lauren nodded, "All three of us are in there, Izzy."

"What?" Bo asked, shocked.

The pair walked to the wall where the photos of those who had died were displayed. They glanced over all of the names, noting the circumstances of those who were familiar to them before Bo's eyes fell on her own name,

"Ysabeau 'Izzy' Dennis, Deceased?" Bo said, tracing the glass of the showcase over her name.

Lauren leaned in, reading the newspaper article, "It's dated a few months ago. The Fae must have intervened to close the records on Kyle's death. It says the FBI placed you in witness protection after which you disappeared. You are now presumed dead."

Bo pointed towards the article on Kyle, "Apparently Kyle's death has been ruled a homicide... that it was a serial killer who has yet to be caught."

Lauren added, "But apparently that is who they believe killed you."

Bo stood silently before she finally whispered, "I'm dead to them."

"Now you really have to make sure they don't see you." Lauren concluded.

Bo's eyes moved to a small article beneath Lauren's picture, "You were killed by a virus in the Congo while on a research grant."

Lauren laughed, "The Fae definitely intervened. They used the virus I cured to save the Fae as they thing that killed me."

"That means you can't be seen here either."

They looked at each other and nodded, "Shimmering it is."

Lauren looked down at her phone, "I have thirty-six percent battery life."

"I'm at thirty even. What's your plan?"

Lauren held her phone to her ear until she heard Bo's phone vibrate, "Put me on speaker and you're your end."

She carefully turned her phone upside down and inserted it into her back pocket, "Now you can hear what's going on the whole time I'm gone, okay?"

"Perfect. You're such a smarty pants."

"So it's how smart my pants are that you like?"

Bo leaned in, reaching around her wife's body to grip her butt, "Mmmm... I love what's in these pants the most."

Lauren laughed, "Be right back."

"But..."

Smiling, the blonde dissolved before Bo's eyes, leaving her standing in the hallway,

"She should be glad I handle rejection so well."

Bo suddenly felt very exposed standing in the middle of the hallway, so decided she needed to duck into one of the offices to hide. She laughed, seeing the entrance to Miss Kingsley's Physical Education office. She turned the door handle and smiled when she found it was open. Entering the room, she plopped down in the desk chair and began surveying the pictures hanging on the bulletin board above her former teacher's desk.

"Miss Ashley Kingsley, do you have any idea how bad my wife was crushing on you in high school? Of course, she doesn't know that I know but it's true. You were hot and, next to me, you were likely the star of many of her teenage dreams."

She looked down at the phone, thinking she heard moans, but looked up when she heard her wife's voice.

"It was probably just the ghost of Miss K telling me I was right." Bo chuckled until she noticed that her wife was now standing next to the desk, her arms folded over her chest with a scowl planted firmly on her face,

"So Miss K was the star of my teenage dreams, huh?"

"Oh come on. You don't seriously think I never noticed, do you?" Bo said.

Lauren shrugged, "I'd rather you'd noticed the dreamy looks I gave you."

Bo stood and wrapped her arms around her wife, "Ah, I'm sorry it took me so long to take a hint, baby. I'm here now, doesn't that count for something? I even put a ring on it. Miss K never did that, right?"

Lauren laughed at her wife's pout, "You're adorable and I love you."

She gave Bo a quick kiss and pulled out of her embrace, keeping hold of her hands, "I found Humans, Bo... in the same condition as the ones in the hotel. We're going to need help here."

Bo looked down at her phone, "Who do you think has their phone on?"

"If Kenzi does, the battery is probably dead. I'll try Kate." Lauren replied, calling her friend.

Bo stood waiting while Lauren's call connected successfully with her friend. Once arrangements were made for healers to come, the blonde gave a heavy sigh,

"Bo, sit down for a moment."

The brunette complied, but suddenly looked worried,

"What's wrong?" She asked.

Lauren lowered her eyes taking a moment to organize her thoughts, "The hotel has running water and electrical back on line. The Humans are all in rooms that have fresh linens. They're all on the first two floors. Most of the kids are tucked into beds in top floor rooms. The older ones – Lu, Seera, Kara and a few others are still awake playing video games and snacking. They're going to put them down to sleep soon."

"Okay, well all of that sounds good." Bo said, confused.

Lauren nodded, "We've definitely lost the element of surprise. They want to know if we still want to mount the attack tonight."

Bo shook her head, "I've already thought about it. I want to try to get word to the remaining employees of the mansion that we're coming. I want to give them a chance to leave or at least let them know our plan."

"How will we do that?"

"Selia knows how. Tell her to use my arrows to send a note. They made them. They'll know the note is real."

Lauren smiled, "Good idea."

Bo nodded, "Is that all?"

Lauren frowned, shaking her head, "I just want to give you a heads up. There are many more Humans in both the gymnasium, auditorium and cafeteria. All are blind. Many are dead. Many we know. I recognized Mr. Murray and Mrs. Chamberlain almost immediately and... well, Miss K is in the gym."

Bo's eyes welled with tears, "They're... they're all blind?"

"They didn't have a choice, Bo. If they didn't blind themselves, we would be killing them in the attack as Hunters. At least they're alive and we have a chance to save their sight?"

"How will we save their sight without outing the Fae? Those elders of yours will never go for that!" Bo replied, her anger now growing.

"Let's just cross that bridge when we come to it. Right now, I have to build a device that will turn a sedative into an airborne agent that I can put into the ventilation system so that we can get all of these people somewhere safe."

Bo nodded, "The last thing we need is my Father using them as Hunters after they blinded themselves to stay alive."

Lauren smiled, "I still think he'd have trouble finding a way to use them since they've already taken their sight."

"He can modify his Hunters, Lo. I don't want to take any chances. They're alive. Let's keep them that way."

"Agreed." Lauren replied, "I'm going to head to the engineering classrooms and then the Nurse's office to see what I can find. I'll end in our old chemistry classroom. Do you remember where it is?"

Bo smirked, "You want me to meet you there so we can make love by the light of a Bunsen burner on our old lab table?"

"Mmmm... that sounds like it might have been one of those childhood fantasies I might have had."

"I think you'd definitely remember that one if you'd had it." Bo replied.

Lauren laughed, "I did have one particular fantasy about a locker room shower."

Bo smiled, "Right now I'm having one about a hotel room shower."

Blushing, Lauren pointed down the hallway, "I uh... better... ya know..."

Bo laughed, "Go. Be smart and sciency."

"See you soon?" Lauren asked.

Bo smiled and nodded, "See you soon."

She watched Lauren walk away before taking the short walk to the gymnasium entrance. Holding her breath, she pulled open the door and stepped inside instantly gagging on the smell of death. She stumbled backwards, exiting the gym before dropping to her knees and gasping for air.

"Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit!"

"Sister?"

Bo lifted her head to see Jadis standing before her. Instantly, her eyes filled with tears, "My teachers... their students and their students parents... they're inside. So many dead. All blind. There's more in the cafeteria and auditorium. Lauren saw them all. She..."

Jadis knelt down in front of her sister, "Take a breath, Ysabeau. I was told all that Lauren found. Take another breath. I need you to..."

Bo's eyes flashed a brilliant blue as she slowly got to her feet, pulling her sister with her,

"Don't tell me to relax! These people... they raised me! They taught me what it meant to be Human before I knew I was Fae! They taught me how to love, how to be kind and giving! They taught me how to fight for those who couldn't fight for themselves! And now... now... I brought this on them! They're... this is all because of me! I left them when they needed me most and now..."

Jadis cut her off, "And now you're hear to fight for them when they can no longer fight for themselves. This is NOT your burden to bear, Ysabeau. Our Father did this to them, not you or me! You had to leave to be strong enough to fight him and rid their world of him once and for all. If you stayed, they would all be dead and you – their only hope of saving the future of this town – would also be gone."

Bo stood, her breathing heavy, tears pouring down her cheeks for the suffering she'd seen in a mere moment that she'd viewed the room. Gathering her emotions, she looked at her sister,

"Do you have more witches to help?"

Jadis nodded, "If you tell me we will not go to battle in a few hours as planned, then yes I have the witches as well as the Shamans from the Amazon. If, however, you plan to do battle, my sisters need to take the slipstream home and recharge their batteries, so to speak. All of the healing they're performing takes a great deal of energy and they also need sleep. If we were all to transport home via slipstream, we could get a full night's sleep and be back in what would be maybe an hour or two in this realm."

"What if we took the Humans to your world?" Bo asked.

Jadis scowled, "We cannot reveal our kind to this many Humans, Ysabeau."

"Hear me out. Lauren puts them to sleep. We transport them to your world. We all feed and sleep. We wake up, heal the Humans, keeping them asleep with Lauren's sedative the entire time. We bandage their eyes and tell them they can't take the bandages off for a week. We all recharge, then bring them back, putting them in one of the abandoned malls in another state. We fight, win and bring them back here to a town that is now safe and ready for rebuilding."

Jadis paused for a long moment, her eyes downcast as she ran through the scenario. Just as Bo was about to interrupt her, Jadis looked up,

"Agreed."

"Just like that?"

"The plan is good and covers all of my concerns. Let's run it by the rest of the leaders and make sure they all agree – especially the Fae."

Bo nodded, taking her sister's hand, "Teleport us? I can't do another five mile walk."

Smiling, the pair disappeared from the school.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

Lauren lay on her back, staring up at the ceiling of the yurt while Bo got into bed with a groan and a sigh.

"I can't believe we're back here." Lauren said quietly.

"Do you disagree? You didn't say anything when I explained the plan." Bo replied.

Lauren laughed, "You had already gotten it cleared by all of the other leaders, Izzy. How was I going to disagree?"

"You could have. Was there something I missed?" Bo asked.

"No, not at all. I just... I just want this to be over." Lauren replied.

"You're mad that I didn't discuss this with you first." Bo said, knowing she was right and... well, wrong as well. Wrong to talk to everyone but her wife before the decision was made.

Lauren sighed, propping herself up on her elbows, "I just... I thought we agreed that we were a team... that we were in this together. I just..."

Bo shook her head, placing a single finger over her wife's perfect lips, "You're right. You're absolutely right. I agreed to keep you in the loop on all decisions."

"In the loop?"

"Part of the discussion." Bo replied as if Lauren knew exactly what she meant.

Lauren gave a heavy sigh and fell back hard onto the mattress, "So I'm just another player in the group even though my powers are directly linked to your own? I get no say in what you do and when you do it? I'm just supposed to rush into battle, risk my life and have no say in where, when or how I risk it?"

Bo frowned, "No! That's not what I mean at all!"

Lauren started to roll away from Bo, but the Succubus stopped her, "Lolo, please don't roll away from me. We won't solve anything by avoiding the conversation."

The blonde chuckled, "Wow. That's rich coming from the one who seems to be avoiding bringing me into the decision making body on anything. I might as go hang out with the rest of the Valkyrie soldiers who follow blindly, doing exactly what they're told even when it may not be such a good idea. I'm sure Tessa has an extra bed in her yurt."

Bo scowled as Lauren yanked her arm away and rolled onto her side. She'd screwed up. She somehow always seemed to fail at finding the right words when it mattered most. She sighed thinking about exactly what she wanted to say and then began,

"Lo, do you remember when we were kids and I had to start deciding on colleges?"

"You're bringing up college now? Really, Izzy?"

"I have a point, I promise. Just... please answer me. Do you remember?"

Lauren shrugged, "I vaguely remember about thirty college catalogues on the cafeteria table."

Bo smiled, "And do you remember why they were on the table?"

"You wanted me to tell you what college you should go to."

"And what did you tell me?" Bo asked.

Lauren shrugged, "I don't remember."

Bo frowned, staring at her wife's back, "You told me that my college choice was something very personal... something that I really needed to decide on my own. I argued that you knew me better than I knew myself... that you would be able to choose the best fit for me before I could."

Lauren remained silent, so Bo continued,

"You have always been a part of the conversation... all my life, even when we weren't together. You're part of me, Lo. I hear your voice in my head every minute of every single day. I never make a decision without thinking about what you would do first. I know you don't know that since I've never told you, but I would hope that even if I don't say it out loud, your opinion is the first one I want."

Lauren rolled over, "Then why didn't you ask for it?"

Bo nodded, "You're right. I should have. I just... well, based on the conversations we've had over the past month..."

"Year."

"What?"

"We're on Earth now. It's been a year here... well, almost."

Bo sat silent for a long moment, "I didn't realize we'd been gone that long. I mean, I knew there was a time difference, but..."

"Not a time difference, Izzy. A time shift." Lauren explained.

The brunette shrugged. She loved her wife and her amazing brain, but right now she didn't want to know about time. She wanted to know about how to fix what she'd said,

"Anyway, I was trying to explain that based on our conversations, it seemed like this was what you wanted us to do."

Lauren nodded, "It would still be nice to be asked... treated like I was more than just some foot soldier."

"I understand."

"Do you?" Lauren asked.

"I do. You're my wife and you're going to be fighting by my side with Lulu. You're experienced in battle, you're smart and you're powerful. You should be the first one I ask about strategy - not Acacia, Tamsin, Selia or Deeana."

"And definitely not your Mom." Lauren said.

"Well, that goes without saying." Bo replied, "Am I forgiven?"

Lauren rolled onto her back once again and looked over at her wife, "For now, but..."

"I know. I will make sure I discuss everything with you first... privately... before we consult the rest of the group." Bo replied with a smile.

"Thank you." Lauren said. She took a breath and began again, but then stopped.

"Lo, just say it. Please don't hold back. I need to hear what you're thinking and how you feel. You have to stop holding back with me. If you need to yell at me, yell. If you have advice you think I need, give it. I read your silence as agreeing, so if you don't agree or have something else to say, then let it out. Please?"

The blonde smiled, "I just want you to remember that everything you do will affect your wife and child. Just please remember that those titles we both acquired by our relationship with you does not give you the right to dictate the path our lives take."

Lauren lowered her eyes, but Bo already knew where her words were coming from and validated her feelings immediately,

"The Fae took away your ability to decide your own fate. I'm Fae and you don't want me treating you the same way they did. I get it. I'll do better, Lolo. I promise. I'm not the Fae despite what my genus may show you under your telescopes."

"Microscopes."

Bo smiled, "Right. You know I always called them telescopes in high school biology."

"And I always corrected you."

The pair shared a long silence before Bo broke the quiet, "I hope you always do... correct me. Kick my ass when you have to, Lauren but please don't let me screw this up."

Bo was silent for another long moment before she added, "And please don't let me get you or Lulu killed. I fear what I would become."

Lauren took Bo's hand, "Gods I can't wait until this is over."

"Well, we're only eight hours and a shimmer away from that happening, one way or another."

Lauren shook her head, "Actually, you're forgetting about the healing sessions that have to be done on the Human guests as well as the time the witches will need to feed so they can recover from those healing sessions."

Bo shrugged, "Well, I was thinking... do you think we regain the element of surprise now?"

Lauren rolled onto her side, propping her head up on her hand, "Actually, that's a good point. I highly doubt your Father was expecting us to show up and then leave. He's probably wondering where the hell we went."

"This could actually work out better for us." Bo replied.

"Still sucks for the Humans." Lauren commented.

"In the words of Jadis, they're alive."

Lauren sighed, "Yes they are."

The pair laid silently for a moment before Lauren reached down and gripped Bo's hand, "You need to feed, Izzy."

"So do you." Bo replied, mirroring Lauren's position, "So... wanna get naked?"

Lauren laughed, "I feel like it's been forever since I felt your body against mine."

"So is that a yes?" Bo asked.

Lauren reached out and pinched the hem of Bo's shirt slowly exposing her hip before placing her hand on the soft skin and tracing gently upward. The Succubus watched her wife's eyes change as they followed the path of her fingertips, revealing more and more of the milky canvas she wanted desperately to explore.

The blonde shifted, placing tender kisses around an erect nipple, "So soft."

"Good to know that my morning and evening skin care regimen is a success." Bo smiled, "Now, would you like to sample the softness of the rest of me because I would definitely love to sample... mmmm... that thing you do... Gods that feels..."

"You were talking about sampling something, dear?"

"Huh... yea... right... ahhh..."

Lauren pulled her mouth away and spoke with a chuckle, "You were saying?"

Bo pouted, "I'm totally off my game."

"Well, let me lead. My game is totally on." Lauren smirked, pulling off her shirt and sliding down her wife's body.

"No, I want to..." Bo reached for Lauren, but the blonde pinned her arm back.

"Don't interrupt me while I'm leading." The blonde growled.

Bo's eyes went wide as she watched her wife rip her panties at the hip, "Well then... lead away. My lips are sealed."

"Not for long. I intend to make you scream."

"Oh boy." Bo said as her wife slipped between her thighs, her eyes glowing blue.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

With everyone fed and the Humans safely placed in medically induced comas, courtesy of Dr. Lewis, the Chosen One's Army moved back to the skies, leaving the peaceful land of the White Witches behind them.

Lulu had asked to ride with Kate, so Bo and Lauren were trailing closely behind her and Tamsin. To Bo, the ride seemed shorter somehow. She clung tightly to Lauren the entire distance, savoring every moment she had taking in the blonde's scent and warmth. The feel of her body against her own, even covered in leather, was a feeling she wanted to cherish for the rest of her life... even if that life was cut short in the coming hours.

All too soon, they breeched the earth's atmosphere and Bo took advantage of the green and purple energy that surrounded her to top off to full strength. The ride along the borealis didn't last as long as she would have liked, for it seemed like only moments later that Lauren was landing Aurora behind Kate and Tamsin.

Lauren dismounted, looking up at Bo who was staring off into the woods, her eyes glowing a blue-green she'd never seen before,

"Bo?"

The Succubus did not respond, but instead continued to stare into the woods as she drew her dagger from her thigh and cocked her head to the side. Lauren, concerned, placed a gentle hand on her wife's knee,

"Izzy? What's wrong?"

"They're here." Bo said, lowering her eyes to her wife, "Get Lulu... keep her safe... NOW!"

Lauren's eyes went wide, her body shook for a moment at the tone of her wife's voice before she watched Bo dismount and take off towards the woods. When she reached the tree line, she turned back to Lauren,

"We'll meet where we agreed. Keep our daughter safe."

Lauren pulled her sword from its sheath and steeled her will, "We'll be there. Both of us."

Bo held her wife's gaze for a long moment before looking at Lulu, "Stay with Mom. She knows what to do. Take care of each other."

"We will Momma." Lulu replied, pulling what looked like a magic wand from inside her jacket.

Bo turned fully towards her daughter, "What's that?"

Kate helped Lulu down and watched the surrounding area for intruders as the youngster ran to her Momma with Lauren close behind.

Bo sheathed her dagger and caught her daughter mid-flight as she jumped into her arms,

"It's a surprise, Momma. Watch."

Bo watched as Lulu closed her eyes. When she opened them, they were glowing green and so was her hand on the stick.

"Моите постапки се праведни."

Bo looked at Lauren who smiled, "My actions are righteous."

"Wha..."

But Bo didn't have a chance to ask what it meant before she saw the stick grow in length, a sharp point revealing itself on the tip.

"Lu, what do you plan to do with that?" Bo asked.

"Protect me and Mom! As long as my actions are righteous, it will protect me! Aunt Jadis gave it to me!" Lulu said, excited.

"And what exactly does it do?" Bo asked, glaring at her sister as she walked towards them.

Jadis replied on Lulu's behalf, "If anyone attacks her, she will be able to defend herself, no matter how many or how powerful. It gifts the owner with special skills and is known as The Staff of Righteousness."

Lauren stepped forward, "I've heard of this. It was in the Ash's archives and was stolen."

Jadis laughed, "To be clear, the former Ash stole it from me and I took back what was mine."

"I see." Lauren replied, looking at Bo and giving her a barely noticeable nod of approval.

Bo smiled, "Thank you, Jadis. Any advantage she can have in this battle is appreciated."

Lulu placed a kiss on Bo's cheek, "Thanks, Momma. I won't let you down."

Bo replied, "You could never let me down, Belle. I love you."

"I love you too, Momma. I'll keep Mom safe. I promise." Lulu replied, smiling when Bo gave her a kiss on the cheek and then put her down, patting her bottom and sending her off to Lauren.

Bo took two steps to her wife and kissed her hard, "See you soon."

"See you soon."

Bo looked up at her army, "Tamsin and the other Fae with me. Selia and the Amazons, to the trees. Tessa, the Valkyrie must hold the perimeter."

"We've got it, Bo."

Tamsin walked up next to Bo, "Are you sure about sending Lauren and Lulu off alone with Trick and Aoife?"

Bo pulled her sword from its' sheath and ran her dagger along it's length. When the sound of metal against metal stopped, she looked up at Tamsin,

"Are you kidding me? Their two big brains combined with their powers? My Mother and Grandfather would be complete idiots to try anything against them."

"Are you sure?"

Bo laughed, "Lauren will kill them without hesitation if they try anything."

Tamsin scowled, "I'm glad you're so sure of Lauren's ability to deliver a death blow. Have you never heard of a little thing called a Hippocratic Oath? The warrior in her will always be at odds with the doctor in her."

Bo tore her eyes away from Lauren and Lulu as they disappeared into the trees with Selia, Deeana, Seera, Aoife and Trick to stare into Tamsin's eyes,

"Do I have your full attention, because I'm only going to say this once."

Tamsin nodded, swallowing hard as the brunette's eyes glowed blue-green,

"You have never met Lauren the Mother. It's a new hat she wears, but it's more than effective. The world has seen nothing as powerful as a Mother protecting her child. Remember that."

Tamsin watched as Bo headed into the woods. With a smirk she added, "Does that mean we can count on Aoife protecting you?"

Drawing her sword, she laughed to herself as she entered the woods, waving the rest of the Fae forward.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

"Where is Bo?" Dyson demanded.

Tamsin laughed, "You're the wolf, can't pick up on her scent?"

Dyson scowled, "I lost it about five minutes ago. What did she do, leave us to be slaughtered while she ran off with her wife and child?"

Hale replied, "Damn, dude. You're whining like a little boy whose Mom won't let him have his favorite toy."

Dyson stopped and looked up at his former partner, "You may be the Ash, but out here you're following The Chosen One just like me. Doesn't it seem suspicious to you that the one who is supposed to be leading us into battle is suddenly missing from the battle field?"

"And doesn't it seem odd to you that a seasoned warrior would speak as loudly as you are in the middle of a battlefield?"

Dyson turned to see Bo standing before him, eyes glowing blue,

"If you have a problem with the way that I'm leading, then the exit is that way." She tipped her sword towards the edge of the forest, "Of course, if my Father wins, there will be nowhere you can hide from him."

Dyson sighed, "Where were you?"

"Watching your back so I don't lose any of my warriors before we get to the source." Bo replied, "Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to continue doing my job while you do yours as Tamsin commands, got it?"

Dyson looked at Tamsin whose arms were crossed over her chest, her sword sticking up over her shoulder. She wore a satisfied smirk as they all awaited his reply. He finally turned back to Bo,

"Apologies. I'm not used to taking orders. I'm used to giving them." Dyson said, "So I hope you know what you're doing."

Bo scowled, "And I hope you can adapt to your knew role because as I've said several times now, if you do anything that puts any of my solders at risk, I will take you out myself. Are we clear?"

Dyson shrugged, "Crystal."

Bo turned to Tamsin, "He's close. I can feel the power of the portal. The Mansion is just ahead about a quarter click away."

Tamsin nodded as she watched Bo sheath her sword and pull her bow and arrow over her head, "I've got enough arrows to get us to the mansion if you guys can take out anyone I don't take down. If they've got an arrow in them, leave them be. My points are tipped in a special poison that Jadis believes will prevent their bodies from being reanimated."

Dyson couldn't hold his tongue, "Wait... you said she believes they will? And what if they don't? We'll be getting attack from behind."

"Wow. You really are a whiner. I don't know how Lauren ever put up with you when you were on her team for the Ash."

"I..."

"Never mind. If it doesn't work, you double back and take them out by taking their heads off while I continue to move forward, making sure I land head shots. If they're brain is intact, he can reanimate them."

Dyson nodded, shifting into his wolf, his claws elongating, "Clawing out the eyes it is."

Bo turned to the rest of the group, "Val, from what I've seen, you're sword can take off heads easily. Hale, your siren whistle will turn their brains to mush sure enough. Vex, you can hold them still long enough for the rest to do their job."

Bo then turned specifically to Mark, "Time to shift, black panther. Remember, any surprise he has for me will likely have a white glowing hand print on it like this..."

Bo pulled her shirt to the side to reveal a glowing handprint on her chest. Everyone's mouths fell open at the sight. Feeling uncomfortable by the eyes on her mark, she pulled her shirt back to cover her most closely guarded secret and frowned. Taking a deep breath, she spoke to the group,

"That mark keeps people safe as long as Hades is near enough to this realm. Once he is banished to Hel again, his mark will fade and along with it, his power over them."

Ciara asked, "What if he takes you over?"

Bo smiled, "Then my wife will kill me."

They all stood silently, watching their leader rapidly scale the large oak tree nearby and disappear into the trees.

Ciara looked at Tamsin, "Will Lauren really..."

"Yes. To protect Lulu, those two will do whatever they must. Keep that in mind. Mark, Bo's waiting for you. Lead the way."

Mark shifted, his panther disappearing into the darkness of night. It was when Tamsin saw his bright white eyes turn back to her that she knew which way to go.

"Damn, we should have put one of those glowy necklaces on him."

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

"Bo, it's too quiet. Where are all of The Hunters?" Selia asked.

Bo shrugged, "I'm hoping they're all at the outer or inner perimeter fighting the Valkyrie and White Witches. More importantly, we should have seen the signal from my wife and sister by now."

"There!" Selia yelled, pointing towards the glowing white light in the distance.

"Okay, they're in position. It's time."

Selia nodded, signaling to the Amazons in the trees. Bo watched as each sister passed the signal on to the next tree. She was always amazed at how in sync the Amazons were from battle all the way down to the simplest task of cleaning up after a meal. They were very efficient and communicated without need for words.

"We're ready, Bo."

Bo gave a nod, giving her friend a long glance, "I love you and your family very much, Selia. I don't think I will ever be able to express how grateful I've been for your presence in my life. You have always been there for me and Lulu... and now Lauren as well."

"I promise they will be safe with the Amazons if anything should happen to you, Bo. We understand the danger the Fae could be to them if you were to fall... especially your Changeling wife. Jadis and I have a plan that we have not disclosed to anyone. No one will know where they are, but I assure you they will be able to rebuild their lives through their grief in safety and comfort."

Bo placed a hand on Selia's shoulder and the Amazon returned the gesture, "You are forever my sister."

"And you mine. Fight well, Bo."

"You too."

Bo looked up into the tree and smiled at Seera who gave her a wave. Her gaze then drifted to Deeana who gave her a slow nod,

"We're with you, Bo."

The brunette nodded and looked around the area once more before she pulled her Bo over her head and headed off, bounding from tree to tree until she was racing across the treetops to the Mansion. When she finally reached the front yard, she jumped from the tree and landed, with one knee down. Slowly she stood and smirked, pulling her sword from its' sheath,

"I'm home." She sang.

Looking up at the second floor window, she saw a light go on, illuminating three silhouettes in the frame. She smiled,

"Lauren... Lulu."

The window opened and a rope was thrown out, "This way. Don't disturb the front door."

Bo looked towards the voice to see Bertie hanging out the window and waving frantically just above where the silhouettes of her wife, daughter and Jadis were.

She nodded and ran for the window, three of The Hunters appearing immediately. She drew her sword as they came at her, doing a front flip over the first one. As she rolled to a stand, she brought the blade up beneath the next one's chin, taking her head in one swift motion, then brought it down again on the back of the next Hunter's head. She turned to see the one she'd missed coming at her, arms extended, teeth exposed, blood dripping down its neck,

"Oh, you are gross and need to die already."

She ducked under his arm as he closed the distance, and turned, stabbing her blade downward into his spine, stopping him in his tracks. As he reached behind him, struggling to pull out the sword, he reached over her shoulder and drew out an arrow,

"Might as well see if this works, right? Care to be my lab rat?" Bo asked, stabbing him through the eye with the arrow.

She watched as death settled in once again, "May you finally be at peace."

She drew the arrow from the socket, then placed a foot on his shoulder to hold the body in place while she pulled out her blade with effort. She then watched as a glowing white light spread from where the arrow had entered across the body of the zombie-like creature. Moments later, the body was completely engulfed in white light. Bo shielded her eyes, squinting against the intolerable brightness. When the light subsided and she pulled her hand away, her mouth dropped open when she saw nothing but pine needles below her. She looked around, frantically trying to find the body. Had he reanimated?

She turned, drawing her sword when she felt a hand on her shoulder, "Easy there, Sister."

"Jadis, what the..."

The White Witch smiled, clearly proud of herself, "It worked!"

Bo scowled, "You seem surprised."

"I am."

"But you said..."

"I said the poison should work. I never said it would. It was all based on a theory that the shared blood between me and our Father was powerful enough to overcome the curse he has placed on these poor deceased Humans."

Bo flipped her sword up, the blade lying flat against the top of her shoulder, "Well, maybe the next time it's more of a might then a will you can put a bit more emphasis on it?"

"Gladly, little Sis. Shall we?" Jadis asked, pointing to the rope still dangling from the window.

Bo smiled, "After you."

Jadis turned towards the window, but Bo stopped, "Wait..."

She moved her gaze to where the silhouette of her wife and child were, "I thought you were standing there with Lauren and Lulu. If you're out here, then who is in there..."

"Relax, Bo. It's a surprise."

"A surprise?" Bo asked.

"Yes."

"I could sneeze to the portal from here and you're offering me a surprise?" Bo emphasized as she watched her sister shimmer into the window before turning around and looking down at her to reply,

"Yes. Think of it as motivation just before we strike."

Bo grumbled, gripping the rope, "You couldn't shimmer me in too?"

Jadis snarked, "And let you get lazy just before we strike? Hel no!" Jadis laughed at herself, "Get it? Hel? See what I did there?"

Bo struggled over the edge of the sill, the looked angrily at her sister, "What? Are you and Kenzi channeling each other's thoughts now? You sound just like her."

Jadis was unusually quiet before she responded, "Of course not. Witches can't... channel each other unless..."

"Whatever. Come on. I want to check on my wife and child." Bo replied, exiting the room with her sword drawn.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

"Oh thank the Gods." Bo said, heaving a big sigh of relief.

"Momma! This is Sadie! She was your Nanny, right?" Lulu asked.

Bo lifted her daughter into her arms and settled her on her hip as the two of them looked at Sadie, "She certainly was and do you know what?"

"What?"

"SADIE! This meat is dry and the sauce is too salty! How many times have I told you..."

Bo turned to see Aoife standing in the doorway, plate in hand with Trick just behind her, shaking his head as he stared at the ground.

"I'm sorry, Ma'am. I'll make you a new plate and..."

"Sadie, you will do no such thing. My Mother has no authority here." Bo looked up at her Mom, "We are not here for you to resume treating the staff like shit! They are the collective owners of this mansion."

Bo heard a gasp and turned to where Sadie was holding both of her cheeks, her mouth agape, "Surprise. Sorry it wasn't under better circumstances that I told you that, but I really didn't want to tell you until I knew you weren't the owners of a property haunted by my Father and his minions."

"Ysabeau. I don't know what to say." Sadie replied.

"You'll say it's mine! All of this is mine!" Aoife argued.

"No, Mother, it's not. Right Trick?" Bo said, leaning to her right to see Trick hiding behind his daughter.

"Yes."

"I'm sorry, Trick. I didn't quite hear you. The property was in my name, not my Mother and Father's because you didn't trust him. The property was never hers and was mine to do with as I pleased, correct?"

"Yes."

"Daddy! How could you?" Aoife asked.

Trick gritted his teeth and took a deep breath, "How could you? I warned you about getting involved with Jack but you didn't listen. He was harmless, you said. I told you that your Mother saw something odd in his aura, but all you saw was how hot he burned for you. Now look where we are! He's about to destroy the everything, Aoife."

"So what! The world will belong to the Fae as it should! To hell with the Humans!"

Bo went to speak, but Trick held up his hand. Looking at his granddaughter, he spoke, "Ysabeau, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything. I should have done this much sooner, but I felt so guilty for not fighting harder to save my wife and daughter. Then, I allowed that arranged marriage with..."

Bo interrupted, glancing at Lulu, "I'm not sorry... things happened exactly as they were supposed to and because of those events, I have my precious daughter and a wonderful wife. I've been reunited with a sister I never knew I had and..."

"Two sisters."

Jadis' voice caused Bo to turn and face her, "Two?"

Slowly, Sadie raised her hand, "Me."

"You?" Bo asked.

Sadie nodded, "I did not interview to be your Nanny by accident, Ysabeau. Jadis and I came up with the plan many, many years before you were born. We felt Hades re-enter this realm and knew that the prophecy was coming true. Once we tracked him down, we put our plan into place."

Bo stood, confused, "But..."

Jadis took a step towards her sister, "Sadie is my sister, Bo. She is the guardian of the portal to Hel. Putting her in play as your Nanny was the perfect cover and the perfect protection for The Chosen One until she was ready to do what she was born to do."

Bo's mouth remained open until she spoke, "You're... you're my half sister?"

Sadie nodded with a smile, "And I couldn't be prouder of you."

"But you allowed them to treat me..."

"I'm sorry, Ysabeau, but to interfere would have tipped Hades off and I was not powerful enough to take him on. If I exposed him, he would have killed you and I couldn't allow that. There was no one powerful enough to banish this world of him. You were the perfect combination of Fae, Ancient and Human."

"But I'm not Human, am I?" It was more a statement than a question. Bo was angry and Jadis had expected this.

"You're more Human than any Fae I've ever met." Lauren said gently, moving towards her wife with Lulu in tow.

"Don't be mad, Momma. It sounds like they did it all to keep you safe until we could kick ass."

"Lulu, language!"

"Duh, Momma. I'm about to fight in a war. I think I should be able to say ass."

"Lulu!"

"Fine."

Bo sighed. None of this was her daughter's fault and she didn't want to take her anger out on one of the people who meant the most to her in the world,

"We'll discuss this later." She said to her daughter before turning to Sadie and Jadis, "And we'll talk about our sisterhood later as well, but for now... thank you, Sadie. You always made me feel safe when I was growing up. I knew that I wasn't, but I felt that way."

Jadis chuckled, "There's something you should know before we go to battle together."

"There's more?" Bo asked, "I don't think I can take anymore surprises."

Sadie smiled, "I think she's referring to this."

Bo watched as Sadie's gaze drifted to Jadis. The sisters shared a silent moment before Jadis pointed her staff at Sadie, running it from her head to toe, revealing her true form.

"Whoa. That was cool, huh Mom?" Lulu said, tugging at Lauren's jacket.

The blonde smiled, looking down at Lulu, "It was very cool, sweetie." She looked over to her wife who was standing there, staring at her newly discovered sister. She wasn't sure how much more Bo could take. She really wasn't a fan of surprises.

Jadis placed a hand carefully on her sister's shoulder and whispered, "And now, we'll show you how I plan to keep my promise about controlling your Mother as we near the portal."

Everyone in the room turned to stare at the angry Succubus who was still standing in the doorway, eating her food, occasionally glancing towards the staircase.

Bo crossed her arms over her chest and cocked her head, "Planning on running off to Jack, Mom? Think he'll offer you a better deal than I will?"

"I am so going to ground you after this is all over." Aoife replied, turning to throw her plate in the fireplace, "You can have this wretched house. The food stinks anyway!"

Aoife flipped her hair back off of her shoulder and gave Bo a half smile, "You think you can take on your Father? Fine. Go ahead and try. His little minions are nothing compared to the power he wields."

Bo began to step towards her Mother, but Jadis placed a firmer hand on her shoulder and nodded towards Sadie. Bo stood her ground and watched as Sadie walked over to the fireplace, gathering the pieces of the plate,

"I'm sorry the food is not to your liking, Ma'am." She stood and walked to Aoife, breathing out a white mist as she spoke the next sentence, "Would you like me to help you be a better Mother to Ysabeau?"

Aoife's eyes flashed blue for a moment before she smiled at Sadie and took her heads, "That would be so wonderful. Her Father is pure evil and I am sure that he means her harm. I need to find a way to prevent him from coming to this plane or she will surely die. He has a plan to stop her. It has something to do with something he can use to manipulate her wife, but I'm not sure what it is. Can you help me find out?"

Sadie looked at Bo who looked at Lauren before turning back to her, "What could my Father possibly know about Lauren? What could he possibly use to manipulate her? Is she talking about possessing her like his Hunters?"

Sadie looked at Jadis, "I don't think so, Bo. There must be something else." She turned to Lauren, "Is there anything that you harbor from your past that you fear or regret? Hades is the King of Tartarus. He preys on guilt, fear, regret, anger, revenge... anything negative you could be feeling."

Bo turned away from the group while Lauren, Jadis and Sadie began to talk about anything in her past that could trigger those emotions - anything that he could use to make her feel badly enough to prevent her from attacking him. As they spoke, Bo was deep in thought. Trick came to stand by her side,

"Ysabeau, I'm sure I'm the last person you want to talk to."

"You've got that right, buddy."

"I'm sure it's hard to understand, but Aoife is my daughter. I gave up on her out of fear of what Jack would do to me. I left as he demanded. I surrendered to his evil plan. Now, my cowardice has put you and your family in danger. You are paying for a battle I should have fought long ago."

Bo sighed, "You wouldn't have won."

"What?" Trick asked.

She turned to her grandfather, "Look... I don't trust you. You've said and done some questionable things since we've met."

"I was just..."

"I know. You were trying to protect my crazy ass Mother." Bo looked over to where Lulu was standing at Lauren's side, listening intently to their conversation, "I get it... I would do the same for my daughter no matter what wrong she committed, but I'm trying to prevent her from going down a dark path."

Bo turned away from Trick to look out the window. Below, she saw the Amazons in the trees shooting down at The Hunters still undetected. Their battle plan was working against The Hunters. She could see the witches coming and going. Of course, she could only hope that they were making it to the Pegasus stables and actually making it to the Bifröst. She sighed, turning towards Trick when she heard his voice,

"What are you thinking, Bo? You seemed to have an idea when Sadie mentioned negative emotions."

Bo shrugged, "I'm not sure. It was just... a hunch, maybe?"

"As The Chosen One, hunches can be the solution to defeating your Father. Care to use me as a sounding board?"

Bo hesitated. Could she really trust this man who had abandoned her and her family?

"One question first. Why didn't you come back once you knew Hades was gone?"

Trick sighed, leaning against the window pane, "I take it you realize now that your sister Sadie has the ability to manipulate a person's thoughts and feelings?"

Bo nodded, "I sort of figured something like that after she turned Aoife into Mother of the Year for a moment back there."

Trick smiled, "She turned your Mother into the woman she would have been had Hades not brought forth the darkness in her... the darkness that the power of my blood can manifest in a Fae."

"You mean in me." Bo replied.

Trick nodded, "And your daughter... and possibly now Lauren as well because of the bond you've created with your full Fae marriage."

"So you think it was a mistake?" Bo asked.

"Not at all. I have always admired and respected Lauren for all she has done for the Fae. She's brilliant, compassionate, hard working and a beautiful woman. I had my reservations when she was a Human, but now that she can meet your needs..."

"I would have loved and been with her even if she was Human." Bo snapped.

Trick raised his hands, "I meant no disrespect, Bo. It's just that... well, I know what it's like to be mated to a Succubus. It has its challenges."

"You're talking about my grandmother."

Nodding, he replied, "I am. I'm Fae, Bo and she kept me quite depleted until we agreed that she would feed on others to prevent me from weakening to the point that I could not rule as King without putting both of us in danger. As Queen, she needed to be strong as well. It was a sacrifice neither of us wanted, but I loved her enough to put my ego aside. She was kind enough to be discreet in her feeds with others."

Bo lowered her head. She couldn't imagine having to cheat on Lauren to survive and she couldn't imagine how that would make Lauren feel. She'd almost lost her when they'd both thought she'd fed off of Joanna and Bette.

Bo nodded, "Thank you for sharing that. I guess you're right about the change in Lauren being good for us."

"It is, but we'll talk about that change later."

"You mean about her being a Changeling, right?"

Trick nodded, "Hale and I have been taking steps to ensure her safety. Evony has actually been very helpful as well."

Bo laughed, "Well, Evony has an ulterior motive for doing so."

"Getting her immortality back? Has Lauren found a cure?" Trick asked.

Bo played her cards closer to her sleeve on this topic, "Let's just say she's found a solution."

Trick nodded, "So, let's talk about this hunch of yours, shall we?"

"Why did my Dad marry Aoife?"

"They fell in love." Trick replied.

Bo shook her head, "I believe Aoife fell in love. It's not unheard of for a Succubus, especially one who has a role model like she did with grandmother marrying you. But Hades is pure evil according to everyone who has spoken of him."

"He is, Bo. Should he be reborn to this plane, you must not allow him to make you believe otherwise. He is smart and manipulative."

"So smart and manipulative that he could make Aoife believe that he was in love with her when he was actually just trying to mate with a specific breed of Fae to create... a child with powers that would rival his own but not defeat his own?"

Trick nodded, "Ah, I see where you're going with this now."

Bo turned to face her grandfather, "The ability to suck chi... lifeforce... the very thing he has put into his Hunters. He was feeding off of me and Lulu. I was able to resist him, but she wasn't once her powers began to show."

"He took your chi to give it to the Hunters?"

Bo nodded, but Trick shook his head,

"But your chi is sexual chi."

"But my Father is Hades, God of Death. He must have the ability to turn sexual energy into chi he can use as their life force. It's the only explanation."

"But how is he tapping into your powers?" Trick asked.

Bo slowly pulled back her shirt to reveal the glowing hand print on her chest. Trick gasped,

"I thought you were hidden."

"I don't know how it happened, but it did. He must tap into Lulu because of her connection to me."

Trick sighed, shaking his head once again, "No, that's because of your connection to me."

"What?" Bo asked.

"I'm a Blood Sage, Bo. My blood... our blood... has special qualities. It can divine the future and change the past or alter the present and future. My blood mixed with your Succubus abilities..."

"That's how I can bring people back to life by reversing the pull of chi."

Trick nodded, "Dyson told me what you did. That's when I first suspected that my blood had created a power in you that we had never seen before."

"Lulu inherited Rainer's gift of foresight, but also the ability to read emotions."

Trick smiled, "She's an Empath then... like Rainer's Mother."

"I'd never met her."

"She died when he was just a boy. It's how we met. He served in my army during the Great Fae War. We had a bit of a falling out, but I knew he was a good man. It's why I arranged the marriage before Aoife married Jack. She agreed easily thinking that she wouldn't have children, but I knew that Succubi and Incubi can easily procreate without the usual methods."

"They can?" Bo asked, shocked. She looked at Lauren, adjusting her collar, then looked back at Trick, "Uh... can two women..."

"You can, so I hope you are okay with having additional children."

Bo groaned, "I am, but it would be nice to be able to plan a family."

"Don't count on it, kiddo. Your Grandmother Ysabeau and I were together for centuries before we gave birth to Aoife. We had assumed she couldn't get pregnant and had resigned ourselves to life together without children."

Bo sighed, looking at Lulu, "Well, I will always be grateful for Lulu, so... thank you for arranging that marriage. If you hadn't, she may not be here today."

Trick nodded, "Let's just focus on keeping her here for tomorrow."

"Agreed. So, I was thinking... if he thrives on negative emotions, he must not do so well with positive ones."

"What do you mean?"

Bo smiled, "Love. They say it's the most powerful force on Earth. I may just have to put that theory to the test."

Trick smiled back in return, "I'm listening."

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

All of the generals in The Chosen One's Army were gathered on the second floor of the mansion. The White Witches had returned to their homeland via the slipstream to regain their strength while the Amazons and Valkyrie had swept the forest in search of any remaining Hunters with the small group of Fae.

Bo entered the room with Lauren and Lulu by her side. Sheathing her dagger, she spoke,

"Okay, we're ready to head to the portal."

Jadis stood and came to stand before her sister, "Are you sure you don't want me to go with you instead of Lauren? We still don't know what he might use against her."

Bo shook her head, "No. I need you to stay here and protect Lulu. Lauren and I will close the portal with those who are part of the Prophecy."

She looked past Jadis to where Kenzi was talking rather animatedly with Vex. She smiled, knowing her best friend was smitten with the Dark Fae. He was a bit... off... when they'd first met, but lately, he'd begun to change since hanging around with Kenzi and the Witches. She watched as he took her hand and leaned in, kissing her on the cheek. Her friend blushed, leaning her head against his chest before pulling back and looking into his eyes for a long moment.

This is what she needed. Her gaze moved around the room. Everything was clearer now. Deep down inside, her Mom loved her and Trick loved her Mom. Jadis and Sadie loved each other. Selia and Deeana loved each other and had a tremendous love for their daughter just like she and Lauren. Dyson was madly in love with his wife Ciara and their daughter, Kara. Val loved her brother so much that she had agreed to fight at his side against her Father's demands that she remain in the shelter that had kept the Santiago family safe from the previous attack of the Ancients. This room was filled with love and it would be enough to defeat her Father. It just had to be.

"Let's go." Bo commanded.

Everyone stood, following Bo down the grand staircase, swords drawn and ready for the last of The Hunters that would be waiting for them. They were the closest to the portal so would be the most powerful and likely Fae with reanimated powers. They had discussed this and everyone was well aware that this would be the toughest part of the battle. But, kill The Hunters and it would be up to Bo to kill off what Jadis referred to as The Kindred. All Bo knew is it would be a version of Hunter that held Hades essence. Kill The Kindred and she banished Hades to Hel for good.

The first Hunter dropped from the ceiling, catching Dyson off guard, but he quickly shifted and threw the being from his back. Shyla quickly held her hand over the scratches on Dyson's back, healing him instantly. Dyson turned, the look of surprise on his face giving way to a grateful smile,

"No worries, wolf. Let's go." Shyla said, moving past Dyson to follow behind Lauren.

When they reached the bottom of the staircase and turned down the hallway that would lead them to the portal, the fight began. Swords clashed, shifters shifted to bring the sound of growls and screams to the large halls that echoed the reverberations of battle along the corridors. Each time a member of the Chosen Army was scratched or bitten, the Shyla and Aspera were there in an instant to heal them before they could die and be taken over by Hades.

Finally, the halls fell silent and everyone looked around at each other,

"Is everyone still... themselves?" Bo asked, looking at her wife and closest friends for any signs of change.

Lauren nodded, "I think we're all good to go. Are you ready for this?"

Bo nodded, "As I'll ever be." Looking around the room, she received nods from everyone before they all encircled her, "Everyone clear on what we're doing?"

Ciara smiled, "Focus on the love we feel for the people in this room."

"Keep doubt from our minds." Val replied.

"Remember, Jadis said The Kindred would be Hades wearing one of the dead. He is very manipulative according to Trick. If you all focus on love and I focus on love, I can defeat him with my power."

Dyson asked, "Do you know how exactly you're supposed to do that?"

Bo laughed, "Is that doubt I hear in your voice, Dyson? I thought we were past that."

"Sorry. I'm just so focused on my love for my wife and child, I'd rather not have to sacrifice my life at this point."

"None of us do, Dyson. You just keep that hope alive and focus on that family of yours. Remember... all of you... fear is a negative emotion. You have to trust me."

Bo went to step forward, but Lauren stopped her, "Wait."

"What?"

"Wait." She looked around the room at the group, and then pulled her pack off of her back. She knelt down quickly,

"Lauren, we're in a bit of a hurry here..."

The blonde looked up at her, now in full doctor mode, "Before we left the room, Trick told me about your conversation about your shared blood. I have an idea of how we can make sure there is no doubt about your abilities."

"Do you guys doubt me?" Bo asked, slightly offended.

"No offense, Bo but we don't know you like Lauren and Kenzi do. It's a bit hard to completely rid ourselves of doubt when we are unsure of what your powers actually are."

Lauren smiled, holding up a syringe, "This is the..."

"Just in case blood that you drew if I started to bleed out." Bo finished for her wife.

"Trick said that during The Great Fae War, his soldiers were bound to him by his blood. He said doing so, gave him great power and he lost himself to a form of blood lust that brought out the darkness in him. He believes it was that power that led Hades to his daughter."

Bo nodded, "And there is the missing piece to the puzzle I began with him earlier. So what are you thinking?"

Lauren turned to Shyla, "If I inject Bo's blood into everyone, it will bind them all to her just like it did me when we were married, correct?"

"Yes, child. But I fear that she could lose herself to the very blood lust that made the Blood King become the tyrannical ruler he was known to be. It was at the height of his power that he declared Changeling and White Witches the enemy of all Fae. It took decades for us to regain some semblance of a voice in the Fae community and as you know, the Changelings still..."

"I know, I know. That's not important right now. What's important is if we use the binding, is there a spell or something we can use to reverse the binding before the darkness overcomes my wife?"

Shyla smiled, "I see your plan and yes, there is a spell, but it must be performed by someone who shares her blood. That would be Lulu or Aoife."

Lauren nodded, "I don't trust Aoife."

"Lauren..."

The blonde shook her head, "I'll administer the blood while you go to Lulu and show her how to break the spell. One of us will shimmer Bo to her as soon as Hades is defeated and she can save her Mom."

Shyla nodded and disappeared, leaving Lauren staring at Bo, "This will work, Izzy."

Bo smiled, "I trust you. Hurry."

Lauren turned to the group and explained what she was going to do. Vex was the only one to complain, but Dyson and Mark shifted, holding him down so she could inject him. He sat up, his eyes wide, as the sensation of Bo's power flowed through him. All of the other Fae stood staring at the arms, closing their eyes as the energy surged through them as well.

"Wow. Now that's power." Vex said, standing up while staring at his hands. He pointed towards Ciara and flipped his pinky finger, making her arm fly up.

"Vex!" Dyson warned, baring his canines.

"Sorry, love. I couldn't resist sampling my Succubus Viagra." Vex said, leaning on Ciara's shoulder.

"Need I remind you that I'm a Fairy Warrior Queen who could slice you in half with one swipe of my blade?"

Vex tip-toed away, "Testy, testy Warrior Queen. Remember, darling. Focus on the love or you'll get us all killed."

"We should have brought Kenzi with us to keep him under control." Val snarled.

Hale placed a hand on her shoulder, "Easy sis."

"Everyone ready now?" Bo asked as Shyla reappeared. The White Witch nodded to Lauren, signaling that Lulu was prepared and then turned to Bo,

"You are The Chosen One. We all follow you willingly into battle."

Bo smiled as Shyla held out her hand to Lauren who administered the last bit of blood into the vein on her hand. Lauren handed the witch the syringe and watched as blue flames surrounded the vial, turning it to dust.

"Was that necessary?" Bo asked.

Lauren smiled, "A drop of your blood in the wrong hands could blow our plan. Ready?"

"Ready." Bo replied, reaching out to give Lauren's hand a squeeze and place a firm kiss on her lips.

The pair pulled back, gazing into each other's eyes as if it was the last time they would see each other. Dyson cleared his throat, pulling the pair from their moment,

"Let's go." Bo said and set off down the corridor with sword in hand.

When they turned the corner, they were surprised to find that The Kindred was not a man, but a woman with long, flowing brown curly hair. She was staring into the glowing blue-orange light in the ground, her hands outstretched as she turned to face them. Bo could tell that this woman must have been quite beautiful when she was alive. She felt bad that her Father had taken away her right to have a peaceful sleep in death, but she was going to make sure that this woman was returned to her grave. She went to take a step forward when she heard a gasp. She turned to see her wife, covering her mouth,

"Nadia? But... you're... dead."

"Hello, Lauren."

The blonde lowered her sword and dropped to her knees.

"Surprise!" The Kindred said, turning an evil glare towards Bo.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_


	12. Chapter 12: Does Love Conquer All?

_**A/N: This is it! Thanks again to all who have read and supported this story. I hope it didn't disappoint to much. So many of you are asking about the Finding Our Way sequel. I began this story when I was blocked on the sequel and sadly, I'm still not getting where I want to be with the sequel. It will happen, I just need to work through this period of motivational difficulty!**_

 _ **Until then, let's get to the conclusion of The Hunted! A very long final chapter!**_

 _ **All errors are mine – I did a brief check, so I'm sure I missed plenty - Just wanted to get this up since free time is going to become an issue this week.**_

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 _ **Chapter 12: Does Love Conquer All?**_

Bo looked at her wife kneeling and unable to stand. This was the last body her wife expected to see.

"Join us, Lauren. You belong with us. We can feel the darkness within you. Your good two shoes wife doesn't have what it takes to keep you happy."

"I... uh... I..." Lauren hung her head, "I'm so... sorry."

"Sorry? You're sorry? Sorry that you got me killed? Sorry that you moved on so easily and shacked up with that whore of a Succubus? Sorry that you lied to me? Which one is it, Lauren? Huh?"

"I... I'm... I didn't mean..."

"You didn't mean to? Oh, that's rich coming from you! What kind of woman would lead a woman she claimed to love into the deepest jungle on earth as a 'grand adventure' and then abandon her to some supernatural race?"

"I... I... I didn't... it... it wasn't... it wasn't like that. I... couldn't..."

"Couldn't what? Did you even try?"

Tamsin came to stand beside Bo, "Bo, you have to do something!"

Bo stood there, shocked until Tamsin called her name and spoke again, "Bo! Remember what she told you! That's Hades in there, not Nadia! Nadia is dead! Hades is trying to pull the darkness from Lauren. Think, Bo! You can't let that happen!"

Bo blinked twice, her mind racing back to what Lauren had told her about her powers while they lay in front of the fire at the cabin,

" _The Fae spent most of the first five years I was with them ruining my life... tearing me down. It wasn't until I found my purpose and they started to respect Humans that they became tolerable. Now... like it or not... I'm one of them... one of you. I want to find happiness and I want that to be with you, but I can't handle another heartbreak, Bo. I'm worried about what that would do to me now that I'm a Valkyrie... well, a Changeling."_

" _Lauren..."_

" _No, Bo. You need to hear me. Tamsin and Acacia warned me. I'm a warrior by nature now and the draw to battle is in me... I can feel it. They told me that love, mating, marriage... it's all approached very carefully by Valkyrie because losing a love can also mean losing yourself to the grief that follows. My sisters would be there for me to try to keep the darkness at bay, but I need you to understand, Bo... I'll evolve with my circumstance."_

" _What does that mean, Lauren?"_

" _I'm born from White magic, Bo. Allowing darkness into my soul could destroy that magic."_

" _So it could destroy you."_

 _Lauren nodded._

" _I have no intention of hurting you, Lauren but if something should happen to me or to Lulu, I wouldn't want you to lose yourself to the darkness."_

 _Lauren shrugged, "Well then let's just make sure nothing happens to either of you."_

Bo looked up at Tamsin and then turned to see the group in the room. She looked back at Lauren who was now on two knees as The Kindred spoke,

"You're evil, Lauren. Admit it! Admit it to me! Hell, admit it to yourself, Lauren! You're a monster for what you let them do to me!"

Lauren's skin began to emit a dim white light. Tamsin cried out, "BO! Now! Do something! If she goes dark..."

"Tamsin, everyone surround Lauren. Now!"

The group did as ordered, drawing their swords to protect the blonde.

"No swords!"

"Are you crazy?" Dyson yelled.

"I said, no swords Wolf! Obey my command or get your wife and leave!"

Ciara placed a gentle hand on Dyson's forearm. Bo noticed Lauren's eyes move up to where the contact was made and had an idea.

"Join hands with your respective other."

Everyone looked at Bo like she was out of her mind, but slowly complied.

"I'll be right back."

Bo ran from the room and returned moments later with Jadis leading the way.

"Kara! What are you doing here?"

Bo whispered in Kara's ear and watched as she smiled, running to jump into Dyson's arms, "Hold her, Dyson. Talk to her. Ciara, you to. Remember... focus on the love you feel for each other as a family."

She turned back to the group, "Join the circle... Jadis, look at your daughter. She needs us. The Kindred has assumed the form of Nadia. You know the story. It seems Hades wants my wife to believe she's a monster."

Jadis smiled and joined the circle, leading Sadie and everyone else who had joined them into the circle. Aspera shimmered into the room with Selia, Deeana and Seera as well as Kate and a few other Valkyrie couples.

"Hey, BoBo. Jadis told me you wanted to see me and... what the... Bo?"

Bo smiled at her friend, "Kenzi, you and Vex need to join the circle as well."

Kenzi and Vex smiled awkwardly at each other, but entered the circle and joined hands.

"Lu? You love Mom, right?"

Lulu nodded, her eyes glowing blue as they stared into the portal. Bo lifted her daughter into her arms and turned her eyes to meet her own,

"See? My eyes are like yours." Bo said, her eyes blazing blue as she entered the circle and came to kneel with Lulu in front of Lauren, "Talk to her, Lu. Tell her how much you love her."

"What's wrong with her?"

"The bad man in the portal is trying to make her think she's a monster. You see, Mom was born of good magic, so dark magic can hurt her."

Lulu looked worried, "Can it... kill her?"

Bo sighed, "I'm afraid so, Lu."

"How do we save her, Momma?"

"We love her, Belle. We love her with all our hearts and make her believe she's worth that love. Can you keep talking to her while I deal with The Kindred?"

"I'll love her to the moon and beyond, Momma."

Bo kissed her daughter, "That's my girl."

She looked at Lauren who was watching their interaction, "My Lolobug... you've always been mine. Our love spans more than a decade and will never die. This precious little girl loves you so very much. Children have an instinct about people and she's known your goodness since the day you met at the cabin. Do you remember, Lolo? Do you remember meeting my Lulu in the woods? Do you remember how much you fell in love with the mini version of you? You were meant for each other. You were meant to be her Mother."

Lulu reached up and took Lauren's face in her hands, "Mom? It's me. I'm gonna love you now, okay?"

Bo watched as Lulu's hands began to glow a brilliant white. She pressed her forehead against Lauren's and began to chant in the language of the witches,

"Мојата крв во твојата крв, ние сме една. Љубовта слободно дадена, Љубовта слободно прифатена. Љубовта ги лечи сите. Љубовта освојува се."

Bo watched as Jadis, Sadie, Shyla and Aspera all began to chant. She watched as one by one, the eyes of the Fae and Amazons in the circle turned white and they, too, joined in the verse of the ancient language.

Bo turned to see The Kindred glaring at her,

"You are MINE to command!"

"I will never follow you!"

Bo drew her sword as The Kindred spoke, "Yes! Your answer is always violence, isn't it! You were born to kill. You are MY blood! Join me and become what you were destined to be, the Dark Queen will rise and the new world order will begin. Spill the blood of The Kindred and my spirit will rise! DO IT! Just like you killed Kyle! Just like you killed hundreds of Humans so you could live! You've always known your life was more important than the lives of those weak and useless meat bags! Rise and assume your rightful throne as my heir."

"I am not you!"

"You are my blood! You and I are exactly alike!"

Trick and Aoife entered the room, coming to stand on either side of Bo. Leaning in, Aoife whispered in her daughter's ear,

"Remember, you're my blood too."

Bo looked at her Mom, "Mom?"

Aoife smiled, "Sadie's magic gets stronger the longer I'm in her presence." She lifted a hand to cup Bo's face, "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you, Ysabeau. But I'm here now and I will do the right thing."

She raised her sword and went to strike The Kindred, but Bo blocked the blow with her own sword, "No!"

"Ysabeau! Let me take her head!"

"No, Mom! If you take her head, you'll release Hades spirit."

"So he says. He's lying!"

Bo looked at Aoife, then Trick before she released her hold on her Mother's forearm and sword, "I'm your blood, too."

"What?" Aoife asked, before Bo placed a gentle kiss on her cheek.

She turned to Trick, "Thank you, Grandpa."

"For what?" Trick asked as Bo leaned down and placed a kiss on his cheek as well.

"I'm your blood, too."

Bo took their hands and joined them together, "I love you both."

She looked at Lulu and Lauren, their foreheads still joined. She thought of the love she felt for them and allowed it to fill her, then turned to the Kindred and drew her sword across her hand, drawing her own blood. She then turned to The Kindred,

"You gave me life, Dad and for that, I am forever grateful. You gave me a life that allowed me to marry a man who devoted the rest of his life to giving me everything he had to give including a beautiful daughter. You gave me a life that allowed me to meet my best friend, a girl who grew into a woman that I will love until my last dying breath and beyond."

"You are testing my patience, Daughter. Take The Kindred's head now or I will fill the Doctor's head with rage. She will join me in death and bring your daughter to me."

Bo rotated her sword while, pulling her dagger from its sheath with her bloodied hand. She stepped forward until she was a step away from The Kindred, the blood leaking from her wound and dripping down the blade of her dagger,

"Now you see, threatening my family does not put you in line for Father of the year, Dad."

"I tried to give you a chance. I tried to save you. Now, I will take everything you have and make your Daughter my Queen and your wife my Bitch!"

"Thank you for giving me life, Dad... a life that has filled me with love and forgiveness for anyone who has ever wished me ill."

The Kindred swung her sword towards Bo's neck, but the Succubus ducked the move and thrust her dagger into her side,

"I love you, Dad. Goodbye." Bo said, watching as The Kindred's veins bulged a deep red through the skin until a black mist moved from her body and settled into the ground. The body crumbled to the ground, the opening closing with a thud.

Bo stood, breathing heavily for a moment before whipping her head around to see Lulu holding Lauren's head in her lap.

"Lauren!" Bo yelled, running to her wife's side, "Oh, please, please!"

Kneeling in front of her daughter, she looked up at the smiling dark orbs that resembled her own, "It's okay, Momma. She's just tired. She's taking a little nap."

Bo cupped her daughter's cheek, giving her a bright smile before kissing Lauren's forehead. She then turned to Aspera and Shyla,

"Can you check her, just to be sure?"

The two witches came to her side and placed glowing white hands on her head and chest before pulling back to look at Bo,

"Her spirit is intact. We will need to take her to..."

"Go. I understand. Just... keep her safe."

Aspera smiled down at her sister, "We'll return with her soon. Lulu will also need to..."

Bo nodded, waving a hand, "It's okay, just take care of my wife, please. Kenzi will bring Lulu shortly. I think we have some things to discuss here before she goes."

Turning to Lulu, Bo smiled, "You did good, Belle. Thank you for saving Mom."

"I told you that you would need me."

Bo placed a hand on her daughter's shoulder, "Belle, I'll always need you."

Lulu smiled wide, watching as Aspera and Shyla took her Mom from her lap and disappeared with her. Bo looked around the room at the rest of her soldiers and nodded,

"Thank you... all of you."

Most then turned and left the room, some shimmering away with the Witches. When only a few remained, she turned back to Lulu who threw her arms around Bo's neck,

"I love you, Momma. I love you so much."

"I love you too, Lu." Bo said, pulling back, "So, what were you chanting to keep Lauren with you?"

She looked up at Jadis, "I made up a spell."

"You what?" Bo asked, looking up at her sister.

Jadis shrugged, "Not only did she make up a spell, but she also magnified its' power by linking all of us to her to do it."

"I don't understand." Bo replied.

Sadie smiled, as Trick and Aoife came to stand next to her, "We've always known the combined blood of your descendants would be a large part of the answer to defeating Hades. We also knew that Hades was very upset about Trick trying to marry you off to Rainer."

Trick spoke, "I went to Amara and Aris, the White Witches."

Bo nodded, "The Twins of Fortune, yes I know them. They drive me crazy."

Trick smiled, "They speak in riddles, like many of the Fae. They told me that your offspring would play a key role in defeating Hades, but they said her power would come from the Land of Light and..."

"You didn't believe them, because you couldn't see how she could possibly inherit those powers."

Jadis smiled, "That was because you couldn't foresee that Rainer would die and Lauren, a Human who no one could have guessed would become a Changeling, would made with Bo."

Aspera further explained, "But Rainer knew. His gift of foresight extended much further into the future than his parents would ever allow him to let people know. When Jadis brought the twins to you Trick, I had gone to see Rainer to have him agree to the request for the arranged marriage that they knew you would request."

Aoife added, "My job was to make sure that your Father did not suspect any of this. If he knew of the power of your blood and all that would fall into place to lead to his demise, he would have killed you and me, then started again with another species of Fae... or at least a Succubus whose Father was not the Blood King."

Bo laughed, "He probably thought that the daughter of a Fae that could rise to be King would be the most powerful combination."

Trick nodded, "He did. He did not see me as having an active power that I could project at him, so did not fear me. Of course, the time he did almost kill you, he saw Aoife breathe chi into you to save your life."

Aoife explained, "That was when he knew that I was not your average Succubus, so he needed to do something to make sure I remained under his control until you came into your powers."

"He didn't expect the Morrigan and the Ash to put together a team that included White Witches and a Changeling, let alone a White Witch who happened to be his offspring." Tamsin interjected, "When we defeated Hades in his Human form, that was all luck. We had no idea what we were doing."

Bo shook her head, "While I appreciate the history lesson, I just really want to know how my daughter did... that thing she did."

Kenzi shimmered into the room, "Looks like I came just in time. My BFF is talking like a bad 90's movie that was like a bad remake of a movie about a 60's band. Whoa. I just confused myself."

Bo smiled at her friend, "Glad you're okay, Kenzi."

"Back atcha." Kenzi turned to Lulu, "Hey, half-pint."

"Hi Aunt Kenz." Lulu said, running to Kenzi and jumping into her arms.

"Ugh. You're too big for this, Lu. Last time you jump, okay?"

Lulu pouted, sliding down Kenzi's body and stepping back, "Hey! I still need hugs!" She smiled, kneeling down and opening her arms for the youngster. Lulu smiled and ran into her arms again, "I'm glad you're okay, Belle. Did you save everyone's butt?"

Lulu pulled back and smiled, "It was so cool! I think. I invented a spell!"

Kenzi looked up at Jadis who looked at Bo,

"I don't know, Kenz. I'm still waiting for the explanation myself."

Jadis sighed, "Your daughter was a very powerful Fae, Sister. During the bonding ceremony, she took on characteristics of both you and Lauren. My best guess is that she used the blood blonde Lauren created by the sharing of your blood since she was joined to it as well when you showed her how to break the bond."

Bo's attention peaked, "Yea, about that. Why don't I feel that power anymore."

"I killed it." Lulu said.

"What?" Bo asked.

"Ya know. Like you showed me. See?" Lulu held up her hand, showing Bo a long cut on her palm, "I said the magic words after The Kindred melted and you got all weak again. That's how I knew it worked."

Bo knelt down in front of Lulu, "So are you going to tell me what that spell was?"

Lulu sat down and crossed her legs in front of Bo who moved to mirror her position. Lulu held up her pinky and Bo smiled, hooking her pinky into her daughter's,

"I promise I will not be mad at you for having used your powers." Bo said.

"I promise I will be honest about what I did with my powers." Lulu replied.

"I promise I love you to the ends of the universe and beyond and always will no matter what." Bo said.

"I promise I love you to the ends of the universe and beyond and always will no matter what." Lulu replied.

Aoife whispered to Trick, "They are more adorable than I'd ever dreamed. Please make sure Sadie keeps me sane, Daddy."

Trick nodded, "I will do all I can to protect you, Aoife."

Aoife nudged the Blood King, "Will you pinky swear with me?"

The two looked at each other and laughed before turning their attention back to Bo and Lulu.

"I felt... everyone. My Empath was... what was that word that Mom taught me that means everything is just too much and you're over full?"

"Overwhelmed?"

"Yea. I was that."

"What made you feel that way?"

"You told everyone to focus on their love for everyone else and... well... it was a _lot_ of love."

Everyone in the room laughed. Bo gave her daughter a smile,

"So what did you say?"

Lulu scrunched up her face trying to remember, "Well, it all just sort of happened. It was like my brain was thinking really fast and I just did it. When you came to tell me about your blood and Mom injected everyone with it, I knew they had your blood, but it's our blood too, right?"

"It is." Bo said, pushing a strand of loose hair from her daughter's face and tucking it gently behind her ear.

"Then I thought about the love and I just let my Empath, my Succubus, my Witch, my Foresight all work together. When my Daddy part said it would work, I just started the chant."

Bo laughed, "You're killin' me here, Lu! What did you say?"

Lulu laughed, "I love keepin' you in suspense, Momma!"

Bo tickled her daughter's belly, "Tell me or I keep tickling."

Giggling hard, Lulu sputtered out her words, "Okay, okay! I'll tell!"

"Okay."

"Hands up, Momma. I don't trust the ticklebug!"

Bo laughed, raising her hands.

"I said my blood to your blood, we are one. Love freely given, Love freely accepted. Love heals all. Love conquers all." She shrugged, "Then everyone just sort of... I don't know... joined me."

Bo smiled, "It's funny, ya know? Injecting everyone with my blood was supposed to unite them to me. It turns out you had a better use for it than I did."

"Why did The Kindred die from just a stab wound? Tamsin said that you guys had to do that gross chop off the head thing to free the dead people."

Bo nodded, "I made sure my dagger was coated with my blood before I put it into the body. Our blood didn't just unite us all in love, it was poisonous to the dark blood of my Father."

Lulu shook her head, "All those months of training and all you had to do was get your blood on a dagger and stab her?"

Bo laughed along with the rest of the group, "Well, all of those months of training were for the battle that took place in the woods against The Hunters and the more powerful ones that were here in the house. In the end, my brain was all I really needed to finish the job."

"Brains over brawn just like Mom says." Lulu smiled, putting up her curled hand to her Mom.

Bo smiled, giving her daughter a fist bump, "Brains it is, Belle. Now, I've got some things to take care of here. What do you say you go with Kenzi to feed and take a nap."

Lulu nodded, standing up and falling into Bo's arms, "Thanks, Momma. I love you."

"I love you, too Belle. Sleep tight."

Bo smiled up at Kenzi who took her daughter's hand and disappeared. Bo sat, staring down at the blood on her hands. Jadis came to kneel next to her. She leaned down, placed a glowing hand over her sister's palm, and healed the wound.

"All better." She said, standing and offering Bo a hand up.

The Succubus took the aide and came to stand before the witch, "So, Daddy's dead, I have yet another sister, my Mom is sane again and all is well. What now?"

Jadis frowned, lowering her head and crossing her hands in front of her hips, "I'm afraid all is not well, Sister."

"What? Why?" Bo asked.

"The battle is won, yes but it was not without sacrifice."

Bo's entire body tensed, "Wh-who?"

"You should come outside." Jadis replied, waving her hand towards the door.

Bo turned and looked back at her Mom and Grandfather. Aoife gave her a nod,

"Go. Care for the dead. They deserve your time. Daddy and I will take care of things here in the house."

"Thank you." Bo said, turning to Tamsin and Kate who led the way out of the room with Jadis following closely behind.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

Nothing could have prepared Bo for what she saw when she reached the land at the side of the old mansion. She immediately saw Selia and Deeana holding Seera where the Amazons were building platforms of some kind. Bo stepped up next to her friends,

"Selia, what's going on?"

Bo's eyes moved from the work area to her friend and what she saw made her shudder. She's never seen an Amazon cry, let alone this one, but trails of tears were pouring down her cheeks as she mumbled out the answer to Bo's question,

"They're building funeral pyres... for the dead."

Bo slowly turned her head back to the area, "But... there's so many of them."

Selia nodded, "The Valkyrie took theirs already as did the White Witches. We will bury the dead of the Fae with our Amazon sisters here. Dyson and Ciara feared that returning them to their clans would cause their dead to be buried as traitors since they helped you."

"You mean because they fought alongside White Witches and Changelings as well as the Daughter of Hades and the banished Amazons."

Selia nodded, "You always did have a way with words."

Bo shrugged, "May I ask who we lost?"

Selia handed a sleeping Seera to Deeana and gave Bo a tight smile. Selia spoke to Bo,

"Come. I will show you."

Bo pulled her gaze away from Deeana and followed Selia. They walked for a while in silence before they reached a field lined with bodies covered in white cloth. Dropping to her knees, Bo whispered,

"My Gods."

Selia, "They all knew the risk. They died for a cause they believed in."

Tears ran down Bo's face, "They died because of me!"

Selia gripped the Succubus by the armpit and dragged her to her feet. She spun her around and slammed her up against the tree, her eyes searing into the brunette's,

"Don't you DARE let me hear you say that ever again! I am sick and tired of Bo's pity party! You did not create those Hunters! Hades did! You did not ask to be born to him and despite the fact that you were, you have spent your entire life fighting his Hunters and protecting your child! You are a friend to the Amazons because of the good in you! You are a friend to the White Witches because of the good in you! You are The Chosen One because you were born to be and do good! Our dead believed in that and chose to fight evil to save the world! Anyone who had any doubt about what they were doing saw that doubt erased the minute we walked into that hotel. Humans who had cut out their own eyes to prevent The Hunters from taking over their bodies... Humans that we've always seen as weak... Humans who showed bravery unlike anything any of us had ever seen in all of our centuries of life. So pardon me if I have neither the time or patience to listen to you blame yourself! We must give these brave women the mourning period they deserve and celebrate their rising to the afterlife!"

Selia released Bo's jacket with a huff, standing for a moment before smoothing out the wrinkles, "Sorry. I'm just... a little emotional right now."

Bo nodded, "It's okay. I stand corrected."

"Good."

"Good."

Selia sighed, "Come. Walk with me. You'll want to know of your sisters who have left this world for a better place."

"Do you believe that?"

"Believe what?" Selia replied, walking along.

"That there is a better place after this life?"

Selia smiled, "I do."

Bo nodded and remained silent until they reached the first body. Selia nodded to an Amazon who came and uncovered the body. Bo gasped at the sight before recognizing the head. She whispered,

"Sabrina."

Selia nodded, "My second in command. Seera fell from her perch. She was quickly outnumbered. Sabrina somersaulted from her tree and landed in the center of the group, boosting Seera to safety while they bit her repeatedly. As she fell, she asked Dara to take her head so she could not be reanimated."

Bo shook her head as Selia added, "Lulu doesn't know yet, but Seera saw it happen. She cried herself to sleep."

The next was uncovered and again Bo shook her head and whispered,

"Dara." She immediately thought of Lulu and how hard it would be to break the news of her personal guard's death to her.

She then looked up at her friend, "Wait. Why is she here? She's a Valkyrie. Shouldn't she be going to Valhalla to be reborn or whatever?"

Selia nodded, "That's what we thought as well, but nothing has happened. We were waiting for Tamsin or someone to tell us."

Just then, Tamsin and Kate walked up to the pair, "Hi Ladies. I've been told you have a question for us?"

Selia nodded towards the body of the fallen Valkyrie.

"Dara." Tamsin whispered, "She is on her last life. Her body will not rise without our ritual because she has no legacy."

"A legacy?" Bo asked.

"A daughter." Kate replied.

Tamsin explained, "Valkyrie die in childbirth and our soul is passed to the child we leave behind – our legacy. Then, we rise and go to our final resting place in Folkvangr." Tamsin explained.

"So you never know your children?" Bo asked.

The two Valkyrie shook their heads.

Bo scowled as the group moved along to the next body, but her mind was now elsewhere. She thinking about what her Mother had told her about her ability to get Lauren pregnant. Could she kill her wife with a child?

Selia's voice pulled her from her thoughts, "Bo?"

The Succubus looked down to see Val's body, "Does Hale know?"

Tamsin nodded as they moved to the next body but Bo was still stuck with the idea that she could potentially kill her wife. She needed answers and she needed them soon. Still, now was not the time. Her wife had survived for now and Selia was right. These men and women deserved a mourning period from those who lived. So, face after face, Bo took a moment to thank them for fighting hard enough to allow her to reach The Kindred and close the portal to Hel. They had saved the world. Now, it was her job to honor the dead by making it a world worthy of their children.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 _ **One Week Later...**_

Bo stood watching the fires of the dead burn, Lulu in her arms and Lauren leaning into her side. It had been a rough week getting everything ready and gathering the families of the dead who wished to come and bid their goodbyes. Lauren had returned two days ago, her healing delayed by her apparent exhaustion.

Still, the Succubus couldn't help but wonder what would come next. She kept feeling like the other shoe had to drop sooner or later. She just had an odd feeling that it would be sooner. As the pyres collapsed and sparks filled the sky, the Amazons began to sing a song in their native language that Bo had heard Selia's tribe sing before. She didn't know the words, but the familiarity of the tune gave her some comfort.

They group enjoyed a meal together before everyone began to part ways. Bo and Lauren stood in the center of the clearing, staring into the forest.

"So... where are we staying?" Lauren asked, pushing a curl from a sleeping Lulu's eye.

Bo lowered her eyes, "I hadn't thought that far."

"Well, we can continue to stay with the Amazons in their yurts if you'd like." Lauren replied.

"I really don't want to go into that mansion. Visiting there every day to see my family is enough. I just..."

"Bo?"

The couple turned to see Bertie standing there, arrows in hand. She offered them to Bo who took them, "Sorry, I'm just so used to making them... it seems weird to stop. I mean, you'll still need meat for dinner at the cabin, right?"

"The cabin?" Bo asked, "Your son Ralph told us The Hunters burned it to the ground. I haven't been over there since I got the news."

Bertie smiled, "They burned the structure, of course but everything below ground was safe. I mean, it is called a safe room for a reason. Am I right?"

Bo and Lauren smiled as the woman laughed at herself. She then continued,

"They rebuilt the whole darn thing! They gave you proper rooms, running water and a new greenhouse. Sadie said living as natural as possible was important to you, so some features are still the same. Lulu's library is perfectly preserved."

Lauren's excitement was easily visible to Bo as she nodded in agreement, "We'll go check it out."

Bertie clapped her hands together, "Fantastic! I'll have the boys bring the food down. I took the liberty of doing some basic grocery shopping for you. Everything is in the downstairs kitchen. Go on now, scoot. It looks like the little one needs a proper sleep. There's new beds in the cabin with fresh pillows and sheets."

"Bertie, thank you so much. I don't know how I'll ever repay you." Bo smiled.

"Ysabeau, don't you understand, child? You've freed us all. You gave us a home and freed us all. If anything, we owe you, dear. You have free babysitting services for life. Just drop that newborn off at the mansion if you want to have a family day with Lulu at the lake come spring."

"Newborn?" Bo asked, turning to Lauren in shock.

"Sorry, did you not tell her yet, dear? I would have thought you would have told her by now. Succubi babies don't usually take more than seven months in the oven, if you get my drift. By now, girls."

Bertie gave a wave as she headed back to the house leaving a stunned Bo and Lauren behind.

"Lauren? Are you..."

"Pregnant? I... I have... I never thought to test for... sweet Einstein! How could this happen?"

Bo sighed, "Apparently Succubi can impregnate any gender. My Mom told me the day of the battle."

Lauren looked from her stomach to Bo, "Now she tells you?"

"Lauren, I'm sorry. I didn't know."

The pair fell silent, each trying to wrap their heads around the news, although Bo had been suspicious of this possibility. More importantly, it was Tamsin's words that echoed in her mind,

"Lauren?"

The blonde looked up at her wife, a grin spreading from ear to ear, "We're going to have a baby? You and I are going to have a child?"

Bo nodded, "But before you get excited, I think you need to talk to Acacia."

"Why?"

"Well, Tamsin told me about Dara having no legacy and..."

"Valkyrie die in childbirth. You're worried about that?"

"Well, you are part Valkyrie, Lauren."

The blonde smiled, "Bo, I am a Changeling. Having the blood of a Valkyrie in my veins is ceremonial only. My DNA is purely Changeling now. Trust me, I've checked... repeatedly. Monitoring my condition was the first thing I started to do the day I returned. The lab in the Mansion is fantastic and Dr. Mantas is a very skilled researcher."

Bo smiled, "So... that's it? No risk of life? Just... a baby? Just like that?"

Lauren grinned, "Just like that."

Bo pulled her wife into her arms, careful not to disturb Lulu, kissing her hard, "Wait until we tell Lulu. She's going to flip her lid at this news."

"Let's go home, baby." Lauren sighed.

Bo nodded, "Yes, let's go home."

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

As they ambled through the trees that lined the path to the cabin, Bo grew more and more anxious. It had been a very long time since she'd been home and she wasn't sure that Lauren honestly wanted to live such a rough life in a cabin out in the woods. She had seen where she lived while she was with the light Fae and, even though she had been a slave there, she'd had the comfort of a very nice city apartment surrounded by friends that – even though they were not very supportive of Bo – had become a sort of family to the blonde. While the rest of the Fae didn't treat her as more than chattle, she had noticed that Tamsin, Kate, Tessa, Dyson, Vex, Mark and Val had been her biggest fans.

Bo sighed, thinking of Dyson. He was anything but a fan of hers. The wolf clearly did not trust her and, while he's been better since she'd rid him of Hades grasp, he was clearly not in favor of following her orders during the days of training and battle. Lauren had explained the way of the wolf to her – the whole alpha thing, but Bo didn't buy it. He was very protective of Lauren and had nearly flipped his lid when he'd learned they'd been married. Bo was determined to get to the bottom of his protectiveness of her wife and it was going to be before he returned home with his wife and daughter.

Looking over to her daughter fast asleep in her wife's arms, Bo sighed. Not only would she have to tell her about Dara's death, but she would also have to tell her that her new friend Kara would be leaving soon. She'd hoped she could convince Ciara to stay on at the Mansion for a bit longer even though Dyson had to leave to get back to his duties as a cop for the Light Fae. Time would tell.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

Turning to look at Lauren, Bo smiled, "I was just thinking of the news we have to tell our daughter."

"That she's going to be a big sister?" Lauren beamed.

Bo chuckled, "Well, that too. I think we should save that for last though."

"Oh? What could be more important?"

Sighing, the brunette replied, "The bad news."

Lauren nodded, "About Dara."

"That won't be the hardest blow. Remember that the Amazons raised her in my absence. Sabrina was like Kenzi to her – an adopted Aunt of sorts. She taught her how to make a bow and arrow, how to shoot, how to skin and prep an animal for a meal and how to make that famous stew of hers."

"I thought you taught her how to cook." Lauren questioned.

"I'm afraid my kitchen skills are a bit overexaggerated by our daughter. Sabrina taught the two of us how to cook. Otherwise, we would have starved. Once my breast milk dried up, I was forced to ask Selia if she could help me provide food for my child. She recruited Bertie to help me build the greenhouse before she had Sabrina step in to teach me about every edible – and poisonous – plant known to the world. Selia and Deeana took turns teaching me how to hunt and when trouble came around, they taught me to fight like the Amazons."

"You mean that stealthy tree fighting they do." Lauren chuckled.

Bo nodded, "Yes." Bo replied before turning her attention back to the path, "For all the good it did Sabrina."

Lauren shrugged, "It sounds to me like she did what she had to do to save Seera. Would you have done any different?"

Bo was quiet, offering no response. She knew what Lauren was trying to do, but it didn't make the death of her friend sting any less.

"Bo, you have to stop blaming yourself for the deaths of those we lost in battle."

Lauren stopped as her wife turned into her path, her eyes filled with tears, "I killed a boy! I killed a little girl! And I can't get their faces out of my head. My Father reanimated the dead without discretion. The faces of the blind in the hotel... every time I close my eyes I see their empty eye sockets. I'm terrified that when I close my eyes tonight, I'll see rows and rows of funeral pyres burning. But the worst is the image of you dropping to your knees before..."

"Nadia?" Lauren asked.

Bo turned her back to her wife, picking the needles from a small branch she'd pulled from one of the burned trees,

"You loved her... you were in love with her. I could see it on your face. The devastation from losing her."

Lauren scowled, shaking her head, "You saw the devastation of seeing someone who I hoped was finally at peace, being used by pure evil to end the world. You saw the guilt I felt of trying to love someone beyond the secret I'd carried in my heart since childhood."

She took a breath, and then finished, "The secret about how I was settling for a love that would never match the love I felt for you. But I had to stay with Nadia. I had to because I knew my love for you would never die, but I knew that you had. You were dead and there was no changing that. I knew that Nadia would always be second best, but she could make me forget you on occasion. It was selfish of me to keep her trapped in a love with someone who would never feel the way she felt for me, but I was tired of being alone and lonely... so incredibly lonely without you. What you saw was guilt. I took the best years of her life and if I'd let her go, the Fae never would have gotten their grubby hands on her. She might still be alive today. I'm responsible for her death."

As the tears rolled down Lauren's face, she detoured around her wife and headed down the path. She didn't know the woods as Bo did, but she guessed that this path would lead her to the cabin eventually. She walked quickly, desperate to get away from the trees that seemed to be closing in on her minute by minute. Before she knew it, she was running, holding Lulu's head against her shoulder, squeezing her tighter and tighter until finally, the young Fae awoke,

"Mom? Mom, stop!"

Lulu looked around, "Mom, please!"

Lauren looked at the fear in her daughter's eyes and stopped, pulling her close, "I'm sorry, Lu. I'm so sorry."

Lulu looked up at her Mom, adjusting herself so she was no longer laying on her shoulders, but looking her right in the eyes,

"What are we running from? Are the bad people back?"

Lauren shook her head, her eyes welling with tears before Lulu wiggled free of her arms. She took her hand and led her down the path,

"Follow me. I know what'll make you feel better."

They walked a short distance into the clearing until they were in an area of sparsely populated trees, "Look, Mom! Come on!"

Lulu released Lauren's hand and raced off to climb the tree house ladder. The blonde heaved a sigh and gave her daughter a big smile as she ran to make sure she was beneath her while she moved up the vertical ladder. Once inside, Lulu started a fire right away while Lauren opened the flue to the chimney.

"Momma told me that you and her friend built this place when you were just a little older than me. I didn't believe her until she showed me the drawings you made. You were really smart."

"Were?" Lauren asked, pretending to be offended.

Lulu giggled, "You're still smart, Mom. Sorry."

"I'm kidding Lu."

The youngster stretched out on the small carpet, her head resting on one of the pillows, "Come on, relax."

Lauren smiled before laying down next to her daughter, the young brunette immediately snuggling into her shoulder and getting comfortable,

"So, why were you running in the woods?"

"Sorry about that."

"I didn't ask if you were sorry. I asked why you ran? Did you and Momma have a fight?"

"I suppose we had a bit of a disagreement. I was just... I guess I was running from my past."

Lulu giggled, "You can't run from time, Mom. I thought we agreed that you were smart."

Lauren chuckled, "I guess I need a smart teacher like you."

Lulu sat up, turning to face her adoptive Mom, "Come on."

"Huh?"

"You've seen me and Momma have serious talks. This is how we do it. We sit face-to-face cross-legged. No touching."

Lauren mimicked Lulu's position, then watched as she extended her pinky to her. Lauren smiled at the familiar gesture she had watched her perform with Bo many times now. She never realized it was a thing, but she felt so much love in this moment that this little ritual was being passed to her.

"Now, we make pinky swears about how we're going to talk to each other."

"Pinky swears?"

"About how we're going to talk to each other. We have to be respectful. We learned this from the Amazons. Moms and kids always talk respectful of each others' feelings."

Lauren nodded, "Okay. Who goes first?"

"The person who has the most to lose. That means, if I'm in trouble, I get to set the rules. If you're in trouble, you get to set the rules."

Lauren's eyebrows knit together, "Which one of us is in trouble?"

Lulu shrugged, "Well, I wasn't the one who was running from her past, Mom."

"True."

"So, what do you need from me?"

"I don't understand."

Lulu rolled her eyes, "Okay, let me help you. You should start with something like... I promise to be as honest with you as I feel I can be. That way, if there's something a kid shouldn't know, you won't be lying to me like if you said... I promise to be completely honest with you about everything."

Lauren nodded, rolling her butt cheeks one at a time to get a little closer, "Okay, I promise to be as honest with you as I feel I can be."

"And I promise to listen to your feelings without judgment or interruption... now you add another one... if you have one."

Lauren smiled, "I promise to be grateful for your ear."

Lulu smiled widely, "And I promise to be grateful that you are willing to share your feelings with me."

"I promise that I love you and your Mom more than I've ever loved anyone in my entire life."

Lulu hesitated, but then replied, "I promise that I love you as much as I love my Mom no matter who you've loved before us."

"Now we put our heads together. I love you to the moon and beyond."

Lauren smiled, "I love you to the ends of the universe and beyond."

"Okay, now talk." Lulu smiled, dropping her finger from Lauren's.

The blonde sighed, "Well, you saw The Kindred when you came in the room, right?"

Lulu nodded, "Just for a second. I was more worried about you. It looked like you were about to go all supernova."

"Well, that would have been stellar." Lauren laughed, "Get it? Stellar?"

Lulu rolled her eyes, "I get it Mom. You're avoiding."

Lauren's face dropped. She was called out by a ten year old, "You're right. Sorry."

"You promised to be honest. Don't avoid. It breaks the pinky swear and then I'll have every right to be mad at you."

"Sorry, I didn't know all of the rules."

"Well, The Kindred had taken the form of my former girlfriend."

"You mean female friend or you mean mushy kind of love female friend?" Lulu asked.

"Mushy kind."

"But I thought you only ever loved Momma?"

"And I thought you promised to listen without judgment or interruption?"

Lulu frowned, "Sorry. I made that promise because it's one Momma always makes me. I had no idea it was a promise that was so hard to keep."

Lauren smiled, "Well, your Momma is a pretty strong woman and she's got a lot more experience than we have."

"Okay, I'll try harder. Go on."

"I met Nadia, that was her name, when I was in college. We dated all through my medical school years. Then, I got a research grant to work in the Condo. We argued about me leaving to go away for so long, but... I just needed a break. I needed time to think for a while."

"About what?" Lulu asked, then cringed, "Sorry... I promised just to listen, not ask a million questions, but..." she huffed, "It's just in my nature! Momma says I'm naturally curious."

Lauren laughed, taking the little girls' hands in her own, "And that is something I love so much about you and hope you never lose."

"You do? I think it drives Momma nuts."

"Oh, I don't think it does, sweetie. I think that for a lot of years, Momma has been all alone, stressed out and worried about something happening to you so her mind has been overly occupied. I think you'll find she'll start to relax a bit now that The Kindred is gone."

"You mean my Grandfather Hades?"

Lauren nodded.

"Okay, so tell me about Nadia. Did you go to the Congo? That's in Africa, right?"

"It is. You've really studied your geography."

Lulu smiled, "I wanna see the entire planet! Every single inch of it!"

Lauren grinned, "Well, now that you know how to shimmer, I'm sure you will eventually go to many, many places. When you're old enough."

"I can't wait to grow up." Lulu huffed.

"Slow down, there little one. Your Momma and I are in no hurry for you to be on your own. We want you here with us for a little while longer if it's okay with you. We have a lot to do as a family."

Lulu smiled excitedly, "I like that I have a family now. I love Momma, but it's nice to have other people and know that I won't be alone as much."

Lauren smiled, kissing her daughter's hands before she asked her to continue again.

"Well, a few days before I was scheduled to leave for the Congo, I decided that I didn't want to spend my life alone. The trip and the grant were important to me and my career, but I wanted to have work and love in my life."

"Did you love her?"

Lauren shrugged, "Well, that's the hard part. I loved her enough for me, but I didn't love her the way I loved your Momma and I knew I never would."

"But you thought Momma was dead back then, didn't you? It's when she was hiding from the world."

Lauren nodded, "So, I thought I could love Nadia enough to keep her happy. She agreed to come to the Congo with me, but while we were there, she fell terribly ill. It turned out, the Fae made her sick knowing that I would feel so guilty about convincing her to go with me that I would do anything to save her."

"And they were right?"

Lauren nodded again, "I agreed to a term of servitude in exchange for them saving her life. Eventually, Dyson and Tamsin learned how to wake her, but it was a matter of weeks after that when she was possessed by an evil entity known as The Garuda. She was killed by the venom of a creature known as the Naga. What your Mother doesn't know is that I was the one to administer the injection. I had hoped she would survive, but she succumbed to the venom just as the Garuda had."

"So you were running from your guilt?"

Lauren smiled, "You really are a smart one, aren't you?"

Lulu shrugged, "Momma calls that life smarts. You can't learn that from a book. You learn it from knowing how it feels. I once killed a little boy. Momma told me it wasn't my fault. He ran into the cabin to get away from The Hunters. I had set a trap for them like Sabrina had taught me. I didn't expect a little boy to come in. I still dream about it sometimes, but Momma said I couldn't have known it would be him and not a Hunter. Momma found his Mom, Dad and Sister in the woods. The Hunters got them and possessed them. She had to kill them again. She said it was better he had died that way instead of being possessed by The Hunters and having to die twice. I guess she was right."

Lauren gave her hands a squeeze, "I think she was right too. I know that I wish Nadia didn't have to die twice. She should have been able to rest peacefully after all she had been through."

Lulu nodded, "It wasn't your fault, ya know. Nadia was just like that little boy. None of us knew what was going to happen. If we had, we all would have done something to save them. I know that I would have opened the door and guided that boy around my trap if I had known he was coming."

Nodding, Lauren leaned forward and kissed Lulu on the head.

"Do you feel better, Mom?" Lulu asked.

Smiling, she nodded in reply, "I do, Lu. Thank you for being such a great little listener."

"I'll always be here for you just like you have been here for me. I'm really, really glad that you married Momma and I'm really grateful that you adopted me. I like that you're my Mom now. I like that my Momma is happy now."

Lulu crawled into Lauren's lap, the blonde wrapping her arms around her as her head dropped against her chest. Lauren leaned back against the tree house wall and sighed. She soaked up the feeling of being loved by a child and was filled by the joy that soon another child would want to be held by her. She would never love Lulu any less, but the thought of a child that belonged to both her and Bo inside of her filled her even more with love.

"You're happy. And your heart is really full." Lulu said.

"You can feel that?" Lauren asked.

Lulu nodded, "But you're also really, really sad. Why?"

Lauren had hoped to hide those feelings from her daughter. She thought that Bo would want to explain it to her daughter.

"I can feel that Momma is really sad too. Why?"

"I think it would be better if you heard that from her, Lu."

"But you're my Mom too. Why do I have to hear it from Momma if you're really my Mom too?"

Lauren shook her head. Her heart agreed with Lulu. If Bo truly was going to allow her to be her daughter's parent, it was Lauren's right to break the news to their daughter. But somehow, Lauren doubted that Bo would see it that way. She had been very clear that she was going to be the one to break the news... at least, she hadn't use the term "us", "we" or "you" when discussing who would tell Lulu.

"Mom? What aren't you telling me?"

"I-I can't, Lulu. I think your Momma wants to be the one to tell you."

"I think your Momma just wants to be here when you're told." Bo's voice echoed through Lauren's mind and the blonde looked around until she saw Bo staring in the cabin window.

"Momma, were you spying?"

Bo's grew red as she replied, "Just a little bit."

"Izzy, are you fibbing to our daughter?" Lauren asked.

Bo held up a finger, disappearing from view long enough for Lulu to say, "She's in trouble now."

Lauren laughed, placing a finger over Lulu's lips, "Shhh. Let's let her squirm a bit."

Bo entered the cabin and came to sit opposite the pair,

"Yes, I've been eavesdropping, but I'm glad I did even though it was wrong. I learned a lot about myself and how my actions have made the two of you feel. I also learned that the two of you harbor as much guilt as I do, only you're handling it a good sight better than I am. I need to do better... as a wife and as Mother."

She turned her eyes to Lulu, "Belle, my Mother was... well, she wasn't much of a Mother at all. She was angry and demanding and controlling and... Well, none of the things I ever want to be with you."

She moved her eyes to Lauren, "I want you to always be my Lolo. I never want to treat you as anything but my best friend, my partner and love of my life. I want to share everything with you and that means I have to allow you to make decisions about our daughter and not question those decisions. The fact that you believe it's not okay to deliver the news to Lulu is just... well, it just isn't treating you as an equal parent."

She hung her head, "It doesn't matter who her biological parents are. You cared enough to take her in when you believed she was alone. You taught her things... trained her... befriended her and advised her when I wasn't around to do so. You have made her feel supported and loved even when she was a total stranger to you. She may not be your biological child, but she is and wants to be every bit the daughter to you that she is to me. I need to allow that."

Lauren's eyes welled up with tears, "Thank you."

Bo nodded, "So, would you like to tell her?"

"Bad news first, right?"

Bo nodded, looking at Lulu, whose face dropped, "Are you leaving, Mom?"

Lauren cupped her daughters' face with both hands, "Not on your life! I will never leave you and Momma, Lu. But I'm afraid someone else has left you."

"Sabrina and Dara." She sighed, "I know."

Bo and Lauren shared a concerned glance before lowering their eyes back to Lulu.

"It's why I was so upset and cried myself to sleep. I felt them die."

Lauren pulled her into a tight embrace, cupping her head against her breast and kissing the top of her head as both Mother's eyes gave way to tears over the pain their daughter must have felt, unbeknownst to them.

"It's okay though."

"It is?" Bo asked.

Lulu nodded, "Foresight, remember?"

"What did you see, Belle?" Bo asked.

"Dara will rise like all the Valkyrie do. I slept through the funeral, but I know that she was trying to get out of her body. She wanted to be burned so her spirit could fly like a Pegasus. She wanted to be with Gia."

"Gia?" Bo asked.

Lauren nodded and smiled at Bo before turning her attention to Lulu, "You know that her Pegasus was killed as well?"

Lulu frowned, "It's not right. You're never supposed to kill the animal, just the rider. In battle in all the Western movies I watch, it's like an unwritten rule. Everyone knows that the horse isn't supposed to get killed."

Bo and Lauren smiled before Bo explained, "Well, unfortunately, my Father didn't play by our rules, Lu."

Lauren looked at Bo, "Gia was the Pyrippus?"

Bo nodded, "The black stallion that burned down the cabin and a good portion of the woods during battle. I didn't think that a Pegasus could be possessed."

"I'm just grateful that you were all together in that moment of the battle."

Bo nodded, "I'm glad that Dyson and Mark were there. They shifted and were fast enough o keep it contained in their wolf and panther forms."

"We heard Hale's siren whistle from the trees." Lauren explained.

"His whistle... I don't know what he did, but he calmed it down enough for Vex to hold it. Then, Val produced this golden sword that was apparently stolen by The League of the Chosen Followers... which, by the way, I didn't even know was a thing."

Lulu raised her hand quickly, "I did! They've been working behind the scenes all stealth and stuff gathering everything they would need to tip the battle in your favor, Momma. The gold sword was the only sword that could take the head of the Pyrippus but only you could wield it."

Bo nodded, "She was in the perfect position to take its' head, but she tossed it to me instead. Ciara grabbed my hand and moved me... fast as lightning... onto the back of the horse and from there, I took it's head when it reared up trying to buck me off. Acacia then took its' eyes to be sure it couldn't be possessed again. Then it just... disappeared."

Lulu smiled, "It was all sparkly, right?"

Bo nodded, amazed at her daughters' knowledge once again, "Yea. How did you know?"

"Nola, another Valkyrie that tended the stables. I saw her rise from the trees. Tessa told me it was her last life. She said something in that Nordic language that I didn't understand when it happened. It was all sparkly and really, really cool. You could see her outline in the sky between the tree branches as she flew off to Folkvangr. It was so bright, I just knew we would win."

"So... do you know anything else that happened?" Bo asked, looking up at Lauren with a grin.

Lulu looked at Bo, "I know that you and Mom feel really full even though you were both feeling really guilty and upset. I think it's love but I'm not all sure. And Mom's aura looks different too... so does yours when you look at her."

"Really?" Bo asked, looking at Lauren for a moment before her eyes went wide, "Ohmagosh! She's right!"

Lauren laughed, "And you're just noticing now?"

Bo smiled, "I guess it happened so gradually that I didn't notice."

Lowering her eyes, Bo smiled, "And you have more than one aura now."

Lauren cocked her head, her face covered with confusion as Lulu turned around to look at her Mom, "I only see one aura. What are you talking about, Momma? Is Mom possessed?"

Bo laughed, "Of course not, Belle, but she does have another being inside of her. Can you feel it?"

Lauren shook her head, "Bo, don't make her stretch her powers so much. She's had to work so hard for the last little while. Give her a break."

"Oh. My. No way!" Lulu jumped out of Lauren's lap, turning around to put her ear against her belly, "Do I have a sister in there?"

Bo and Lauren laughed, "Well, we aren't completely sure it's a girl yet."

"A brother? That would be so cool!" Lulu smiled, putting her ear against Lauren's belly again.

"What are you listening for, Lu? As far as I know, you don't have super hearing sweety." Lauren laughed, stroking her daughters' hair and smiling up at Bo.

"The baby is super tiny, so I have to get close to feel it."

Lauren's eyes went wide, "You're using your Empath to feel what it feels?"

Lulu looked up at her Mom, "Uh-huh. It feels warm and comfy. I don't get much else yet. It's really little."

Lauren nodded, "It's only about the size of a peanut right now."

Lulu stood up, pulling on her shoes one at a time.

Bo asked, "Where are you going, Belle?"

Lulu replied, "I have to get to my library! I have to look up babies! I gotta know what's happening in Mom's belly and... well, she's a doctor but I'll have to doctor when the baby is born!"

Lauren's eyes went wide, "Bo, she's not seriously thinking..."

"Lulu, I think we'll let Aspera and Shyla deliver your new sibling, okay?"

"But I hafta be ready if it's an emergency! What if they're not here! What if the baby comes early? I gotta know what to do! You pass out if I get a cut, Momma!"

Lulu scurried down the first couple rungs of the ladder as Bo and Lauren quickly readied themselves to follow, but their daughter suddenly stopped, a look of horror on her face. She clung to the ladder as she stared at the floorboards in front of her, frozen.

"Lulu?" Lauren asked.

"Belle?" Bo asked when her daughter did not respond to Lauren.

Slowly, the youngster looked up at Bo, tears filling her eyes, "My library... it's gone, isn't it? The Pyrippus burned it all up. I'll never have my books again..."

Bo smiled, "They've rebuilt the cabin, Lu. They updated it so you can have a computer and running water now. The library was built below the safe room, so it was left unharmed. Anything you didn't have with you from your bedroom is gone, but..."

A large smile broke out across Lulu's face, "It's okay, Momma. As long as my library is safe, they can have my favorite blanket."

The couple watched as the youngster headed down the ladder and rushed off to the cabin. They shared a glance and a quick kiss before they, too, headed after their daughter. It was time to go home.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

As they crossed the creek onto the cabin lands, Bo stopped so quickly that Lauren ran directly into her back. The Succubus stood staring at their newly remodeled cabin, mouth agape until Lulu came flying around the corner from the back of the house,

"Momma! Momma! The greenhouse is like the size of our whole old cabin! We're gonna have SO many vegetables and spices! It's awesome! Come on! Let's see inside!"

As she went for the front door, she stopped and pointed at the side of the house, "Look at all the firewood already chopped! That's enough to last TWO winters!"

Bo and Lauren laughed as the little girl threw open the door and disappeared inside. They could hear her yelling about the inside as soon as she vanished from view,

"Someone isn't going to get much sleep tonight." Bo said, smiling.

Lauren hooked her arm through Bo's elbow, "Well, we don't have anywhere to be tomorrow, so a late night is okay for the first night in a new home, don't you think?"

Bo smiled, "Is this our new home? I mean... are you sure you want to live here and give up your life in that fancy city apartment?"

Lauren laughed, "That fancy apartment was my slave quarters with the Light Fae."

She kissed Bo on the cheek, "This forest is my home. My life began in that tree house with you and Kyle. It always felt more like home to me than anywhere else I've lived. The cabin is an upgrade and the first real home I've ever known."

Bo smiled, "Well, Bertie is working with the lawyers to add your name to the property while she gets the title to the Mansion all squared away."

Lauren nodded, "Are Trick and Aoife going to stay there?"

Bo shook her head, "Apparently my Mom owns property in Germany, France and Denmark. She's just going to stay there when she's visiting."

"And Trick?" Lauren asked.

"He'll be returning to his beloved bar, the Dal Riata. That's the bar where you had Lulu when we first me, right?"

Lauren nodded, "He lives below the bar. His library is smaller than Lulu's but it definitely rivals hers in content. He also has some nifty relics down there."

Bo smiled, "Well, shall we go inside our newly renovated cabin?"

Lauren smiled, giving a whoop when Bo lifted her into her arms, "I've got to carry my bride over the threshold into our new home. It's nice knowing that we're seeing it together for the first time. It will truly be the place where we will build our family, Lolo."

Grinning, the blonde placed a hand on Bo's cheek, kissing her softly and thoroughly, "Take me home, Izzy."

Bo's heart swelled at her wife's words. Kissing her soundly once more, she carried her into the cabin.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

The small family had finally settled in front of the new, much larger, stone fireplace for dinner. Naturally, Lulu had picked a dinner menus that used the fresh vegetables Deeana and Seera had brought in baskets as a housewarming gift. Her Moms were not surprised to see the new bowls filled to the brim with the youngster's famous stew recipe. When Selia arrived, the Amazon family was more than happy to stay for dinner. Seera helped Lulu make her equally famous bread and the group then sat in front of the fire for dinner on the newly carved Adirondack style benches their Amazon tribe had carved for their new home.

"Thank you all so much for the food and furniture. We are so grateful for the gift. You are all welcome here anytime you'd like." Bo offered, a bit teary-eyed from the gesture.

Selia stood and gave Lulu a large bundle of cloth tied with a piece of bowstring, "This is for you, little one. Seera picked them out herself."

Lulu looked at her friend and smiled, "Thanks, Seera."

Everyone watched while Lulu opened the package, only to find six more packages wrapped in similar fashion. The two girls giggled as Lulu began to open each one, revealing seeds that the youngster treated as if they were precious gems,

"Momma look! Do you know what these are?" Lulu carefully stacked the pieces of cloth and carefully walked across the stone hearth to where Bo and Lauren were seated, handing the bundles to her Momma.

Bo carefully placed them on her lap, motioning to Lauren to grab the ceramic nesting bowls next to the hearth, "The ceramic ones are for the seeds, Lolo."

Holding them out to Bo one at a time, the brunette carefully placed each piece of cloth into a bowl as she told Lulu what they were,

"This one is peppers, right?"

Lulu nodded, looking at Seera, "Green peppers?"

Seera shook her head, "I pulled all kinds, so it'll be a surprise!"

Lulu giggled then turned back to Bo who held up the next section of cloth, "Potato roots!"

Lulu nodded, "These have to go in water right away!"

She and Seera ran off to the kitchen and came back with small paper cups half filled with water and small sticks in hand,

"Here, Mom! You do one too!"

The two girls showed Lauren how to put the roots safely into water while leaving the small portion of potato out of the cup where it would remain dry. Silently, Lauren laughed since she had done this as a biology student when she was a youngster, but it was fun and part of the journey as a Mother. This was a journey she was enjoying more than she could ever have imagined she would. The word Mom echoed in her mind over an over again, each time making the coming changes to her body more and more real.

Once the potatoes were safely placed in the small greenhouse window of the kitchen – a new feature that Lulu had already been incredibly excited about – the two girls returned to Bo who identified the next seed,

"These are carrots, right?"

Lulu nodded, "Now, these have roots, Mom but they get planted at this stage rather than put in water. For now, we just do this until tomorrow."

Lauren watched as Seera and Lulu added soil to the cloth and wrapped the bundle closed, dipping it in some water before placing it in one of the ceramic bowls. Wiping their hands on their pants, they returned to Bo who held out the next cloth,

"Pumpkin seeds, right?"

Lulu nodded, "We'll start these in the greenhouse for sure. Maybe we can grow an award-winning pumpkin!"

"Huh?" Seera asked.

"There's this thing in the Human world called a computer. When my Mom was just Lauren to me, she showed it to me. I looked up plants and it showed me this contest they have every year that weighs everyone's pumpkins and the biggest one wins a big ribbon!"

"Wow! Can we enter the contest, Moms?" Seera asked, the pair turning to scan the faces of the four women in the room, hoping for a yes answer.

Bo and Lauren looked at Selia and Deeana who shook their heads, laughing. Selia looked at Bo, "You're going to drag our daughter into the Human world, aren't you?"

It was more of a statement than a question, but Bo responded nonetheless, "They're already in it with the Humans in our town that they are helping to care for until we can figure out a way to tend to their eyes."

"True. Well, pumpkin contest it is! Good luck, ladies!" Selia smiled, taking Deeana's hand as the women smiled brightly as an excited Seera.

The two friends high-fived each other, then turned back to Bo's lap and the last of the seeds. Bo admitted, "I'm not sure what these are."

Lulu stared down at the tiny seeds that were mixed into a small amount of sand for a long moment before she looked up at Seera and smiled, "Are these aloe seeds?"

Seera nodded, "I know you've only ever grown them from a plant. I thought it would be fun for you to learn how to germinate them from seeds. Sound cool?"

"Totally! We'll have to find a really hot dry place to grow them though. Will the greenhouse be warm enough in winter?"

Seera shook her head, "No, but I got you this, too."

She ran over to her Moms who carefully handed her a large box. Running back over to Lulu, she laid it on the floor at Bo's feet. Lulu looked up at her friend with a smile before leaning down and opening the four flaps.

"Oh. My. Gods! It's a miniature greenhouse and a lamp!" Lulu said, hugging her friend.

"I figured you can put it next to the fireplace. There's a plug around the corner. I checked when we first came in. That should keep them warm enough, right?"

"Uh-huh. I think so. If not, we'll have to go to the store and buy and aloe plant." Lulu replied.

"Uh, what store? There aren't any open, remember?" Seera replied.

Deeana cleared her throat, "Actually, that won't be true starting next week. The women of the Amazons and the Valkyrie clans are going to dress in Human clothing and go in to the stores with the Human owners to assist them in moving around their stores and getting things back in order. The Fae have had work crews at the businesses all week."

"The Fae did that?" Bo asked.

Selia nodded, "Keeping our kind a secret from the Human race means we have to clean up after the Fae mess left behind. Like it or not, what happened in your hometown was a Fae event. If we don't cover this up, the FBI will show up and start asking questions. Luckily, the members of the local Homeland Security Office were killed in the battle. As far as we know, nothing has happened that we cannot cover up."

"How are we explaining the deaths of the missing Humans?" Lauren asked.

"A fire that spread through the town. I mean, it's technically true since The Hunters burned a good part of the town."

Bo shrugged, "Well, they were born of Hel. Fire is sort of my Father's thing in his domain, I would think."

The room grew silent, but the young girls didn't allow it for long, "Can we play now?" Lulu asked.

Bo nodded, "What do you want to do?"

"I guess my box of parts is gone?" Lulu asked.

Seera giggled, looking at her Moms.

"What's so funny?" Lulu asked.

Seera giggled again as Deeana stood and walked over to the built in benches along the windows. The room was larger and the bench cushions more like sofa cushions now, but this was one of the many features of the old cabin they had kept. Bo's friends knew how much she loved the ease of storing her daughter's toys and her own weapons in these convenient compartments. She opened a bin and motioned for Lulu to come over to the window. Everyone turned and watched as the youngster ran across the room, looking into the bin. A large grin spread across her face,

"Momma! Look! There's so much parts in here I can hardly stand it!"

Bo and Lauren burst out laughing as Lulu turned around holding up two large hunks of metal. Seera ran over, opening another bin to grab a screwdriver and a hammer, taking it to Lulu,

"Come on! Let's build something , Lu!"

The two sat down, pulling out parts from one bin and tools from another, spreading out on the floor. Selia walked over to the second fireplace that had been built in the larger living room and tossed a match inside.

"Quick fire, my friend." Bo smiled as Selia came back over to sit beside Deeana.

"I know our girls, my friend. I knew as soon as that surprise was out of the bag, that nothing else in the world would matter to them. They won't be finished until they build an Eiffel Tower or something."

"An Eiffel Tower?" Bo asked, "How unlike you to mention a Human landmark... in a city no less."

Selia shrugged, "It's a secret, but while you and Lauren were on your little honeymoon, I took my wife to Paris with Kate and Tamsin."

Deeana leaned in against her wife and smiled at Bo, "I've always wanted to go since Lulu showed it to me in one of her books. I have to admit, your daughter's bread could compete with the best French breads and those Humans know their bread!"

Bo smiled as Deeana reached behind her and pulled out a bottle of wine, "I think it's time the adults made a toast to the new world... a world of peace thanks to The Chosen One."

Bo scowled, "Thanks to all of the people who came together in support of The Chosen One."

Deeana spoke, "I honestly wasn't sure we would make it out of the woods when the Pyrippus showed up."

Nodding, Bo replied, "I think that was the moment that I realized why the Prophecy had specified the support group it did. Everyone did their part and everyone was there for a reason... even my wife."

"What?" Lauren asked.

"What were the chances that Nadia would be the one who was The Kindred? How could he have known that we would find each other again?"

Lauren nodded, "I guess the saying 'everything happens for a reason' is really true."

Deeana popped the cork, but Bo interrupted her, "I'm really sorry to have to say this, but Lauren and I won't be drinking."

"Bo, you can drink." Lauren replied.

"You sacrifice, I sacrifice." Bo replied with absolute conviction.

"I've never known you to pass up our homemade wine, Bo." Selia replied.

Bo looked at Lauren who smiled and nodded, giving Bo the go-ahead to make the announcement.

"Well, I learned from my Mother... before the battle and a little too late to plan otherwise... that Succubi can impregnate their mate - no matter the gender – with their chi. Apparently, she wasn't lying to me, for once."

Deeana's eyes went wide with realization first, "Do you mean..."

Then it hit Selia, "You're pregnant?"

They heard Lulu yell to Seera, "Oh yea! I forgot to tell you! I'm gonna be a big sister!"

The two girls cheered as the adults did much the same. Deeana and Selia toasted in the other couple's honor and wished them a healthy and happy baby. Then, Lauren spoke,

"As Bo's best friends, we'd like to ask you if you would do us the honor of being this baby's Godmothers."

Bo looked at Lauren, a bit shocked while the two Amazon leaders whispered to each other.

"Lauren, don't you want..."

"We'll have other children, Bo. Tamsin and Kate will be next." Lauren assured.

Bo smiled, "Thank you, Lauren. This means so much to me."

"You gave me a child, Bo. You gave me your life and love after all of this time. I'd given up hope... all of my hope." She looked around the room, "I was alone and now, you've given me this family."

Bo shook her head, "You've never been alone, Lauren."

The two shared a kiss before they looked up to see Selia and Deeana looking at them, smiling, "We'd be honored. But Bo, you should be sure that Lauren knows what this means in the Amazon culture."

Lauren looked at Bo, "What it means?"

"They become members of the Amazon tribe and must go through their customs to do so."

Lauren laughed, "So one more ritual they'll have to go through?"

"What do you mean?" Bo asked.

"Bo, this child will be my blood and your blood. A makeup of our full genetic material."

Nodding, the Succubus understood, "They'll have Valkyrie, White Witch, Fae and Ancient blood."

Selia interjected, "You must remember, Bo, you and your daughter joined our sisterhood and shared our blood as well."

Lauren turned back to Bo, "You have Amazon blood too?"

Bo nodded to which Lauren replied, "Wow. We really are... something, huh"

Smiling, Bo replied, "I prefer to call us... unique."

"That we are, Izzy. That we are."

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 _ **One Month Later...**_

"Izzy, please. We've been through this how many time now. They wouldn't try anything with the group that will be with me. You should stay here and protect Lulu. You know the Elders are after her. These attacks by the Fae are not going to stop unless I appear before them as they've requested. I need to go there and prove to them that I am not a threat."

Lauren was frustrated. They were having this argument for about the fifth time today. The Fae had been sending larger and larger groups of UnderFae to their lands for the past two weeks and each time the battles were becoming more and more vicious. Just yesterday, Lulu and Seera had been caught out in the forest hunting for small game when Seera was grabbed. Lulu had shimmered to the Amazon camp immediately and shimmered back with a more than angry Selia and Deeana in tow. The couple finished off the group while the girls vanished, heading off to get Bo and Lauren. The couple immediately put the girls into the safe room before teleporting off to aid their friends.

While they exited the battle victorious with just a few scrapes and bruises, the continual attacks were frustrating Bo to no end. She was ready to go to war with the Fae and she knew she had the army to do it. The only thing stopping her was the knowledge that they would use the Human slaves as shields and enough Humans had already suffered because of the Fae.

Deep down, Bo knew that a peaceful solution was the best chance at saving lives, but it just wasn't in her nature. She was used to taking matter into her own hands, so was torn between letting Lauren fight her own battles and fighting the battle for her entire clan... clan? Was that the answer?

"Lauren, can I just..."

"Bo, I'm going and that's final!" Lauren said, her eyes blazing white as she turned to her wife.

"Okay, put the scary eyes away. I just... I have an idea and I want to know if you think I'm on to something. Can you just stop dressing for a moment and listen to me, please?"

Lauren threw her head back, sighing before she turned around and sat down on the edge of the bed, "Fine. What is it?"

"Gee, thanks for your time."

"I can't be late, Bo. You know this."

"I know, I know. I'm sorry." She said, moving to sit beside her wife, "I don't want to fight anymore. We've been fighting about this all week and..."

"You won't let me..."

"I know. I have not been respecting your choice to handle your battles your way. I get it. So, let me just make a suggestion, okay?"

"Okay." Lauren said.

"What if we started our own clan?"

"What do you mean?"

"What if we ask for clan status? What if Trick, Aoife, Jadis, Sadie, Amelia and Sheera were all considered our Elders and we were a clan?"

Lauren sat still, staring at her wife before she quickly opened her cell phone and made a call, "Hale? I'm going to be about twenty minutes late... I know and I'm sorry... I know... Look, Hale, I understand the whole tardy thing. I was a slave to the Light Fae for almost a decade, but I am no longer Human and I will not be scolded by them anymore. I have an issue I must deal with here, but will be there as soon as possible... Okay... thank you, Hale... Oh, and Hale? If you were given a choice between living on our land or remaining with the Light Fae, where would you go?"

Lauren looked at Bo while she waited for an answer, "I know that you have been spending a good deal of time with Kenzi since things with her and Vex didn't work out... Yes, I think Bo and I understand where things are headed... yes, so does that mean you would want to live on our lands? Okay. Yes, we just wondered..." She looked at Bo, raising her eyebrows, "Dyson and Ciara really love that Kara is happy when she's here with Lulu and Seera?... Uh-huh... okay then. Yes, I'll be there as soon as possible. I think you'll be interested to hear what I have to say... Yes, I'll be bringing back up... well, they'll have to get over it. I am not appearing before them without witnesses, Bo would never allow it... Yes, they would be crazy to mess with her, I agree but they do not understand that she is more dangerous than the White Witches, Amazons and a Changeling put together... Okay... See you soon, Hale. Thanks. Bye."

"Okay, so I take it you like my idea?" Bo asked.

"I do. I'm going to go get the Elders of the White Witches. You get Amelia and Sheera from the Amazons."

"You mentioned Trick and Aoife?" Bo asked.

"Are they at the Mansion today?" Lauren asked.

Bo nodded, "Sadie and Bertie are with them, cleaning up the wards they'd left behind when I was born so that people can move about the castle without getting zapped."

"Okay. Bring every elderly member of a tribe or clan that you can find. We need to elect officials now so that I can go there with names and a plan. Hurry, sweetie."

"What about Lulu?" Bo asked.

"I'm going to take her to the Mansion. They're safest there. The Fae are still afraid to enter there for fear that Hades is still alive. Agreed?"

Bo nodded, "Are you going to where something a bit... looser?"

"I guess I'd better." Lauren said, looking down at her belly, "I can't believe I'm only two months pregnant and I'm showing like I'm almost at the end of my fourth."

"Wear my thigh-length black and maroon coat with the loose black sleeveless top underneath. That should hide everything pretty well. At the most, you'll just look like you've put on a few pounds which wouldn't be surprising considering you're no longer spending time starving in a dungeon."

Lauren smiled, going to Bo's closet to get out the recommended attire, "You should head off. It will take you longer on foot than it will for me to shimmer around. Anyone you can't get to, I'll pick up when I get back. Meet me at the meeting yurt on the Amazon lands?"

Bo nodded, kissing her wife on the cheek as she dressed, "See you soon."

"See you soon. Keep your eyes open and your bow at the ready in the forest." Lauren replied.

"Yes, Dear."

The couple laughed and parted ways. Lauren stood up, looking in the mirror at the jacket, "Well, what do you know? It's perfect. My wife, the stylist." She laughed to herself, "Okay. Here goes spontaneous plan B. Right baby?" She looked down, patting her belly before shimmering out of the room.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

"I don't recall a meeting being scheduled for today. Am I mistaken?" Amelia, the eldest member of the Amazons and Deeana's Mother asked. The other Amazon elder, Sheera, nodded her argreement.

"No, Ma'am. We had not scheduled. This is... well, I guess you could call it an emergency meeting." Bo replied as Lauren shimmered into the room with a large group of women in tow. She directed each of them to a chair then moved to stand next to Bo.

"Wow. This is quite a power group you've assembled here, Ysabeau." Bertie said from her seat next to Sadie.

"Actually, I've called this meeting with good reason and we have about fifteen minutes to discuss and vote on what I'm about to propose."

"Surely you don't expect us to make a decision that quickly." Jadis replied as Aspera and Shyla nodded in unison from their seats beside her.

"I'm sorry, but yes, I do."

The room was filled with protest, but Bo quickly brought the room to order, "Listen, you all know of the Fae attacks that have been doubling in number in recent weeks. The bottom line is, we are all dangerous in the eyes of the Fae. The White Witches and Amazons have been banished from their numbers for years. My wife is a Changeling and through our bond, I am essentially one as well not to mention my Ancient blood. Trick and Aoife have been banished by association with my DNA, so everyone in this room is a target as are all of our people. Anyone disagree with that statement?"

The women... and Trick... looked around at each other, all nodding before Bo continued,

"Well, my wife has been ordered to appear before the Fae and explain her long absent from her duties as a Doctor to the Light Fae. They are aware she is no longer Human and expect an explanation as to what she is and how she came to be whatever that is. As far as they know, she is a Valkyrie, but if they do any sort of DNA testing, which she is certain they will, they will know quickly that she is not a Valkyrie but something... else."

The group mumbled, many appearing angry – especially the White Witches, "Why were we not told of their intent to cause harm to our daughter!" Aspera yelled.

"Please, Mother. It was my choice. I did not wish to worry you, nor do I want to start a war that would put any more of my loved ones at risk."

Shyla spoke next, "Child, we have been fighting this war for centuries and have an age-old agreement with the Fae that they would not touch one of our own."

Lauren shook her head, "But that's the problem, isn't it? I'm not one of you. I am all of you, but none of you and that is something they will know the minute they draw my blood and place it in a test vial – a test that I created to determine just what they want to know. I'm a Changeling. The one being in this room that they fear the most."

A lone hooded figure shimmered into the room alongside Kenzi who spoke, primarily to the Elders of the White Witches present, "She wanted to come. She has completed the trials and the oath. She feels she can help."

The White Witches nodded in unison, signaling the woman to step forward and expose her true identity.

Bo and Lauren watched as the woman drew back her hood, revealing none other than The Morrigan, her eyes now light blue, her hair long and white as Kenzi's had become since taking her vows. Bo smiled at her longtime friend who nodded and stepped back. They had not seen each other for about a week and Bo had to admit, she missed seeing her. Still, she had work to do, so she turned to the former Morrigan,

"Evony?" Bo asked.

Stepping forward, she spoke, "Forgive my intrusion. I know that I hold no position or power here, but I was the Morrigan of the Fae for a very long time and believe that I can now assure them that the White Witches are no threat. I believe I can do so without breaking my vows. If they should attack, I believe my powers have grown sufficiently that I would be capable of getting your wife home to you safely for you to come up with a new plan of attack."

Lauren shook her head, but Evony insisted, "Dr. Lewis was taken by the Fae. I was party to that plan. We did it to save ourselves. We stole your life from you. I, personally, owe you and beg – in the tradition of the White Witches – the opportunity to atone for my sin against you by risking my spirit for yours."

She bowed her head as Lauren stood silently. The blonde's light blue eyes traveled to Jadis, Aspera and Shyla who all nodded to her. Lauren sighed,

"In accordance with the vows I took as a White Witch, I cannot deny your debt nor your request, but I can ask you to reconsider your position. You have just regained your mortality – mortality that I took from you."

"Mortality that you took from me with good reason. I intended both you and your friends harm and if you had not intervened, I surely would have carried out my threat. You were right to do so. I am better now for what you have done. My soul has been purified and... well, I can move forward in this world with a clear conscience of what I will become. I will not reconsider my position. I will defend you with my life."

Lauren nodded, "Then, I accept your assistance in my meeting with the Fae Elders."

Bo pulled Lauren away from the group and whispered as quietly as she was able, considering that her anger had quickly peaked, "Wait. She gets to go, but I can't?"

Lauren shook her had, "Bo, I cannot deny her request. It's... well, I can't explain but it's a White Witch thing. You should be happy. I'll have back up now."

Bo sighed, "Fine."

She returned to the table, leaving Lauren to stand and watch her walk away. The blonde chuckled to herself. She really did like her wife's protective stubborn streak. It just meant that she would fight that much harder if they Fae should happen to take her. That was her ace in the hole. Keep Bo here and there would be no stopping her if they threw her in the dungeon or harmed her in any way.

"I wish to go with you as well." Jadis said.

"As do I."

"As do I."

"As do I."

"As do I."

"As do I."

"Me too."

"Me too."

"Okay, okay... I get it. You all want to go along, but first I think you should hear our plan." Bo said, stopping others from responding, but smiling at Aspera, Shyla, Amelia, Sheera, Acacia, Aoife and Trick for their offer.

Lauren stood beside her wife once again, "We want to form our own clan."

Trick shook his head, "The Blood Laws will not allow it."

Bo smiled, "Then it's a good thing my Grandfather is The Blood King, huh?"

Trick smiled, "I see. Then you will need me there."

Lauren looked at Trick, "Thank you, Trick but I don't want to take you until I get a verbal agreement from them."

Bo turned to Lauren, "I think they're right. Everyone goes with you, we present the idea then shimmer away and leave them to figure it all out. If they keep attacking, then we know they didn't buy it. If they stop attacking, then we can start perfecting our plan to form a clan."

Lauren hesitated, "They'll be pissed I didn't come alone. It was their single demand."

Jadis stood, "This is nonsense! They want you alone so they can destroy you. I have told you and my Sister that the Fae WILL want to kill you. They have hunted Changelings to extinction."

Trick nodded, "I agree, Lauren. I suspect they know and are just not showing their hand. We all knew and they have Fae that can read minds. It is unlikely they do not know what you are. That said, I am positive they would want to destroy you."

"Can they?" Bo asked.

"With great difficulty." Trick replied, "But they could with the right people present. If they do know what she is, they will be sure to have the right species of Fae present to control and defeat her."

"Okay, so how do we keep her alive, meet their demands that she show up and make our request to become a clan."

Trick looked at Aspera, "Do you have a clan document we could use to draft a quick plan of our own?"

Lauren looked at her phone, "We have about ten minutes before I must leave or be later than the late time I said I would meet."

Aspera shimmered away and returned with two scrolls, a wand, a bowl, a towel, and a small dagger, "Quickly, everyone's blood into the bowl. Be sure to wipe the dagger clean between uses. Our bloods merging within us could prove fatal if combined in the wrong order without the proper incantations."

All nodded as they went to work while Aspera used the agreement the White Witches has formed with the clans centuries ago to create a new proposed document for their clan. She read the document aloud as the wand did the work for her, copying and replacing words as needed. When it came time to list the clan Elders, all of them signed and agreed to bring in additional people to show their power. In all, the document held the names of five Elders from each of the former clans.

"Now, we need something that would be the equivalent of their Ash or Morrigan." Aspera stated, signing the document herself then looking up.

All eyes were turned towards Bo who was looking around the room, not realizing they were all looking at her. Finally, Lauren nudged her,

"Bo?"

"What?"

"Bo, they all want you to be the leader."

Bo looked at her wife, then back at the Elders and laughed, "Oh, no. No, no, no, no, no. I am no leader. I cannot make decisions when there are disputes or play problem solver. I'm a firm believer in every man or woman for themselves."

"That's perfect because the Amazons will want to live by their spiritual laws, the White Witches will want to live by the sacred vows they took and the Fae... well, they would be yours to deal with since they only technically have the one rule."

"Not outing the Fae to Humans." Trick mumbled.

Lauren spoke up, directing her comments towards her wife, "They also do not allow Fae to fall in love with Humans, they believe Humans are chattle or food often referring to them as meatbags, they do not allow Dark and Light Fae to intermingle romantically even if they're in love and they would not allow our Fae clan to love any from those clans either."

Bo shook her head, "The Fae suck."

Lauren nodded, "But you could fix all of that... at least within our clan... if you were our leader."

Bo sighed, looking around the room, her eyes landing on Kenzi who said, "You know it's the right thing to do, BoBo."

"Fine." She relented.

Aspera held out the writing implement signaling Bo to come and sign the document. As she did so, she asked,

"Is there anything that we must declare on this document?"

She shook her head, "Nothing beyond what I've already read to you. We get the McCorrigan Lands which you must understand would now belong to the clan as a whole." She turned to the rest of the Elders in the room, "Other Amazon and White Witch lands would become lands of sanctuary for any of our clan which means your people would have to agree with this. You will have until the Fae decide to determine if you can hold to this agreement. Once they sign, your clans will be bound to abide by the words on the parchment."

Aoife questioned the group, "Will we limit Fae admission to the clan?"

"Mom?"

The elder Succubus shook her head and explained, "Bo, if I distanced myself from Sadie, even for a day, I would hope to be banished from this clan for I might do someone here harm. There are other Fae who I would not trust to join this clan. As you said, the Fae have only the Blood Laws to bind their actions. The Ash or Morrigan, in similar fashion to the Human court system, enforces those actions. Amazons and White Witches 'behave' themselves, if you will, because they die almost instantaneously if they break their vows."

"So what would you suggest?" Bo asked.

"Fae mortality is bound by a Blood Oath. Why not use a Blood Oath to enforce the laws of our clan?" Aoife asked.

"Instant death?" Bo asked.

"It works for them. Why shouldn't it work for us?" Aoife asked.

Bo's eyes moved from Aoife to Sadie who shook her head. Bo nodded, but Aoife saw the exchange, "Ladies, you cannot make this choice based on your fear of what might happen to me. If it will make you happy, if Sadie has to go home, you can have your Doctor wife sedate me or take me to the Land of Light and put me in a cuffs there like you did before."

Bo and Sadie shared a glance and shrugged, "Okay. Any Fae that wishes to join our clan will take a clan Blood Oath. We'll figure out what that is later, but will base it on a similar oath to that used by the Witches and Amazons. If you would both write up suggestions for me on what I should include, I'd appreciate it."

Jadis went to interject, but Bo stopped her, "Sister, I do not expect you to divulge your sacred vows to me since I do not wish death to befall you in doing so. I am simply asking for suggestions on promises you would want a Fae to be bound to should they be sharing land with your people. For example, Fae shall not kill White Witches might be a good one, yes?"

Jadis smiled, "I can do that, Sister."

"Thank you. If that document is completed, I believe you will all be moving with my wife to the Dahl Riata where this meeting is meant to be held, correct?"

All nodded before Bo concluded the meeting, "Okay then, if all of you shimmerers will take someone with you who cannot shimmer, everyone will arrive together. Protect each other, protect the Changeling – or answer to me."

Everyone straightened up at Bo's words before she added, "Just kidding... sort of."

Aspera called out to Bo, "Before we finish, I need a title for our clan leader."

Bo laughed, "How about the Pine-igan? Half pine tree, half dark Fae?"

She looked around, but no one was laughing, "Wow, tough audience. Suggestions?"

"Why not use the title gifted you by The Prophecy?" Jadis suggested.

Trick suggested, "Why not shorten it to just The Chosen? You were, after all, chosen by all of us to lead the clan."

Bo smiled as everyone nodded, "Okay. I am The Chosen."

Jadis smiled, "You are and we are grateful for your council in this matter. We will take good care of your wife."

"Take care of yourselves as well. I'm not prepared to lose any of you." Bo replied, taking a moment to look at each of the people in the room.

She turned and kissed Lauren, taking a moment to stare into the eyes given her during her transformation into a Changeling,

"I love you, so much. Come back safe."

"I will always come back to you, Izzy." Lauren replied.

"You better." Bo said, kissing her once more, "I love you."

Lauren placed a hand on her belly, "We love you."

With a parting smile, she held out her palm to the Amazons who needed her to take them to the Dal and disappeared.

Bo stood in the empty room, staring across the table at her best friend, "Want to come over and see Lulu and Seera?"

Kenzi nodded, "I'd love to. It's been too long. Sorry I've been away, but I was made responsible for Evony's training."

"Wow. You'll have to tell me all about it."

"Uh..."

"I'm kidding, Kenzi. I know all about you not being able to talk about your training and vows. It's okay. Let's just go have lunch."

Bo held out her hand and Kenzi shimmered them to the Mansion.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

As soon as the group arrived at the Dal, ten Fae advanced on Lauren. Their attack was short-lived in the presence of the White Witches who quickly transported the attackers to the basement of the mansion, Jadis shimmering to Bo's side to let her know what had happened before shimmering away. The Succubus immediately moved to the basement with Kenzi, Tamsin, Kate, Deeana and Selia running behind her.

When she arrived at the cell in the basement, her eyes glowed blue, her voice dipped as the Ancient blood boiled in her veins,

"How dare you strike at the mate of The Chosen One!"

Her hands fell to her sides, blue streams of light streamed from their mouths into the Succubus as the women in the room stood and watched.

"You Fae are so damn stupid. How can you not get it by now? You don't mess with BoBo's hot, hot, lady love!"

"Kenzi, you need to stop her or she'll kill them." Tamsin yelled.

The young White Witch replied, "She's not a White Witch. She's not bound by..."

Kate cut her off, "Kenzi! She just signed a clan document that included a Blood Oath!"

"Shit! Bo! BO! Stop!"

Lulu shimmered into the room in front of Bo and placed a glowing white hand on her Mother's chest before shouting to her, "Momma! Momma stop!"

Bo stopped the flow of chi, looking down at her daughter, her Succubus still in control. Lulu kept her hand in place and spoke,

"Now, reverse the chi and save them. Do it now, Momma!"

Bo did as she was told, the red chi flowing back into her victims for a short while before Lulu released her. As the Succubus became dormant once again, Bo looked down at Lulu,

"Thanks, Belle. You saved my ass."

Lulu nodded, "You were really, really angry. What happened?"

Bo frowned, "These men tried to hurt your Mom."

Lulu's eyes glowed white, but Bo placed a hand on her shoulder, "Hey. Don't you do what I did. We both have to learn to control ourselves."

Calming herself, Lulu nodded, and looked up at the men, "Why did you want to hurt my Mommy?"

Tamsin stepped in front of Lulu, "Oh please tell me you're Steve and not Bruce."

The large Ogre lowered his eyes and shook his head causing Tamsin to reach through the bars and grip him by the throat,

"You tried to kill Lauren? Dude, you better have a damn good explanation! That woman has saved your life more times than I can count on one hand. What the hell is wrong with you?"

"They are picking Fae at random to kill The Changeling. If we fail, they'll kill us anyway." Bruce explained, his eyes not meeting any of the women in the room.

Bo nodded, "So they do know what she is."

Tamsin crossed her arms over her chest, "I have an idea."

"I'm listening." Bo replied.

"Bruce, suppose there was a third option?"

He shook his head, "There isn't. Option one is kill the doctor. Option two is be killed by her protectors or the Elders of either clan."

"Either clan?" Tamsin asked.

Bruce nodded, "They've united in their hatred of you, oh Chosen One." Bruce bowed his head.

"If you were so loyal to me, then why did you stay with the Fae instead of fighting with us?" Bo asked.

"We were all caught coming out of a meeting with those who fought by your side. The rest got away and then were taken by the Valkyrie to where you were. Rumor had it you were in the land of the White Witches. The Fae Elders didn't like that. We heard the guards talking."

"Guards?"

"After they took us, we were thrown in the dungeon by the new Morrigan and were offered freedom if we could kill The Changeling. None of us knew it was Doctor Lewis until she materialized at the Dal. We all hesitated and then we were teleported... wait... where are we?" Bruce asked, looking around the unfamiliar space.

"Never mind that. We're offering you another option. Are you interested?" Bo asked.

Bruce looked at his cellmates who all nodded, "Yes."

"Suppose there was a third clan you could join. Would you be interested?"

"There are only two clans." Bruce replied.

"Well, right now, Dr. Lewis is talking to the Elders about a third clan... my clan. Are you interested?" Bo asked.

Bruce looked at the others and nodded, "We want peace between the sides. No more fighting amongst the clans and no more stupid rules about who you love. No prejudice against Humans either – you can't own them or treat them like sh... dirt. You have to take a blood oath about all that stuff. Think you can handle it?"

"No Morrigan or Ash?" Bruce asked.

"Just me, The Chosen." Bo replied.

They all looked at each other, before Bruce looked at Bo, "We're in."

Bo nodded and opened the cell door.

"Just like that? We're free?" Bruce asked.

"Just like that, you're free." Bo turned around and looked for Bertie's Grandson,

"Ralph, can you hook these guys up with rooms in the Mansion?"

Ralph nodded, "Yup. Come on, guys."

Bo watched as they all left the room.

"You're seriously going to just give them free run of the Mansion after they just tried to kill Lauren?" Tamsin asked, arms crossed over her chest.

"Lauren talked about Bruce. She called him a gentle giant. True?"

Tamsin sighed, "Pretty much."

"Great. Then yes, free to run. I believe his story. It makes sense. None of the Elders are going to risk their life to kill her and right about now, they're surrounded by a very large group of Fae that they banished from their clans. I think we're good for now."

Tamsin shrugged as Bo stepped forward, lifting Lulu into her arms, "Thanks for the chi block, kiddo."

"It's getting old, Momma. I hate feeling you when you get like that. You're scary."

"I'm sorry, Belle."

Lulu nodded, "I know you are, Momma. I'm just glad I was here."

"Me too, Lu. Me too." She hugged her daughter who whispered in her ear,

"Is Mom okay?"

"Do you feel something?" Bo asked.

"She's... I don't know... not mad, not afraid... sort of frustrated... it's the same feeling she gets when she has to explain things to her lab assistants over and over again. I remember from when I went to her big lab in the city."

Bo laughed, "Sounds to me like the Fae Elders are being idiots."

"That's not a nice word, Momma." Lulu replied.

"Yea, well they're not nice people, Lu. They're the ones that sent those men to kill Mom."

"Idiots." Lulu replied.

Tamsin and Kate had to hold their mouths to not laugh out loud at Lulu's response. She had grown quite protective of Lauren in recent months and everyone was beginning to notice.

"There's that weird bond thing that Lulu and Lauren are getting." Kate said.

"I know she's really protective of the Doc. I guess it's a Mother-Daughter thing." Tamsin replied.

"I guess." Said Kate as Selia and Deeana smiled at Lulu's protectiveness before following Bo back upstairs.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

It had been over an hour and Lauren was still not back. Bo was tired of waiting, so she made a decision as the elected leader of their new clan. Leaving Lulu and Seera with Selia, Deeana, Ralph, Tamsin and Kate she asked Kenzi to shimmer her over to the bar.

When they arrived, Bo almost laughed at the sight before her, "Kenz, do you remember that scene in Mary Poppins when they're doing that _I Love To Laugh_ song and they're all floating on the ceiling?"

"Yea, I do, BoBo."

"Does this sort of remind you of that?" Bo asked with a smirk, looking up.

Nodding, Kenzi replied, "It sort of does. It's just a much bigger tea party and apparently, only the worst dressed peeps were invited.

Bo smiled, "Yea, I meant to tell you that your new robes are looking quite stylish."

"You know I had to class up the joint. I'm still working on dropping the whole robe act and getting into something less... ancient retro meets the Pope."

They walked over to Lauren where she was now seated at the bar with a glass of water in front of her.

"Lauren? Are you coming home anytime soon?"

"Bo?" Lauren asked, turning to her wife.

"Well, I was just wondering how things are going since I've begun accepting applications for clan membership."

Lauren laughed, "You have?"

Bo nodded, "Your friend Bruce and his nine friends have joined us."

"What did you do?" Lauren asked, worried.

"Look, I'm still alive. I am bound by Blood Oath, remember?"

"To not kill, yes, I know. Thank you for not getting yourself killed. Did you sway them?" Lauren asked.

Bo's mouth dropped open with a gasp, "I am completely offended that you would think I would do that. I would never... well, not never but in this case, I didn't. Actually, I almost did, but Lulu stopped me. Of course, that little – well, sort of little – chi suck may have swayed their decision a bit, but in the end, they joined of their own free will. Of course, they're being watched now, but were given rooms at the mansion. So, are you going to tell me what's going on here or not?"

Lauren shrugged, "Jadis told me I could take a break while they 'kept up' the negotiations since they wouldn't listen to me. Apparently, I'm..." Lauren turned towards Bo's half sister and called to her,

"What did they call me, dear Sister-in-Law?"

Jadis smiled, "Let's see, I think they started with filth and abomination, then moved on to atrocity and... what was that other thing, Sister?"

Jadis moved her eyes to where her clan sister, Aspera, was using her staff to move an elderly bald gentleman up and down, before flipping him over a few times.

"Aspera! Don't play with your food, dear!" Jadis reminded as Bo and Lauren smirked.

Aspera looked at Jadis, dropping the man to the ground from the ceiling. She looked at him, then moved her gaze to her Sister,

"Oops. You were saying, dear?"

Jadis smiled, "Lauren asked us to remember what these... Elders... had called her. I mentioned filth, abomination and atrocity. What was that other thing?"

"Whore of the bastard child of Hades, dear. Oh and don't forget repugnant! That was one of my personal favorites." She smiled before rolling the bald man over and over again on the floor with several flicks of her wrist.

Bo's eyes flashed blue, her hands falling to her sides. She let out a loud wail that burst all of the windows in the bar. The winds came forth, causing the witches and Lauren to latch on to whatever they could grab so as not to blow away. The Fae elders dropped to the ground, some unconscious, some looking up at the Succubus in horror.

"You have insulted my friends, my family and my wife. You have attacked our lands without cause. We did no harm to you. We saved you and the world from the wrath of Hades and how do you show your gratitude? By calling my wife an abomination? She saved your species more times than a Human should have had to. She died for you and became what she is now because of you. How dare you deny her life after all she has done for you?"

"She's a Changling! You are the offspring of the Lord of Darkness! They are White Witches, the banished race! You have broken our laws! Kill them! Kill them all!" Shouted one elder, but Aspera flicked her wrist and all of their weapons flew towards the bar, shattering the large mirror and most of the bottles.

"You are no match for me." She held her hand out to Lauren as yet another elder threw a dagger at her chest, which she caught.

Lauren's anger came forth as she witnessed the attack on her wife. Eyes glowing white, Bo's power coursed through her veins. She reached out and took Bo's hand as they spoke together in one voice,

"Our strength is our power. We will rule as Queens and absolve the boundaries of the Fae. We will live side by side, each to their own, under one blood oath for peace. You will take this oath or you will die."

Bo turned to Jadis, nodding towards the scroll on the table as the wind died down, but the two women remained joined. The White Witch unrolled the parchment and laid the blood pen on the table with a dagger and bowl, then stepped back.

"The choice is yours. Choose to sign and live in peace or fight and die. We will hold to the oath we took before we came. We will not kill you without provocation. But have no doubt, if you attack again, we will kill you."

Lauren watched as a man she recognized as Elder Barrett nodded to one of the remaining Ogres in the room. The Ogre shook his head, but the elder nodded, pulling a phone from his pocket. The Ogre ran at Lauren, but stopped when he saw Bo drawing the chi from the Elder from across the room,

Drawing only enough chi to drop the man to his knees. She looked over at the Ogre, "Go, find your family. This man will no longer have any control over you. There is a place for you and yours in our clan if you choose it."

The man nodded and ran from the room. All of the other servants made eye contact with Bo, earning a nod of the same offer and fled as well. Turning back to the Elders, Bo spoke,

"I believe these women have been here negotiating in good faith and for long enough. From now on, you will understand that when you speak with my wife, you speak with me. When my wife speaks to you, she speaks for me. We are one and the same. All of the species you chose to banish have now joined together as one clan. Attack us at your peril. We will have peace or you will die at war. Now choose."

Bo and Lauren dropped their hands, walked towards the table where Jadis stood. The three of them pulled up chairs and sat down, crossing their legs then folding their hands on their lap. The rest of their clan drew chairs to the table and sat down as well, waiting patiently for the Elders to recover and make their choices.

One at a time, they came to the table, sliced their hand and signed in favor of the formation of the new clan, then took a seat at the table. When they were finished, they all sat in silence. It was Lauren who spoke next,

"Elder Marzetti, you have always been respectful of Humans and supported me after my death and transition. I am wondering if you would be willing to serve as a spokesperson to our clan for the Light Fae."

Elder Marzetti looked at her constituents, each nodding in favor of the action before she responded, "I would be honored to do so, Dr. Lewis."

"Thank you. Elder Scalese, would you do the same for the Dark Fae?" She asked.

Again, the Elder looked around the table for consent before turning back to Lauren and agreeing, "I do agree, but can I ask why you chose me?"

Lauren smiled, "You were recommended by Vex and Evony."

"Evony lives?"

Lauren turned to her left where Evony stood, her hood covering her face. She took a few steps forward before revealing herself to the group, smirking at Lauren when the suspected reaction moved through the room,

"I will be the representative to this group for the White Witches."

"YOU!" One of the Elders yelled.

Evony remained calm, her voice even keeled and smooth as she replied, "Yes, it's me. I volunteered for this position because I know each and every one of you. I also know who my clan can and cannot trust... well, until now, anyway. Let's just say that for now, I will not be trusting any of you any time soon. Trust must be earned by our clan – especially since you seemed to have trouble getting the message that attacking us was a bad idea. I am here today to assure you that our clan is of no threat to you if you leave us alone. Attack us and, well, you've already had a small sampling of our power. Remember, we defeated Hades and a thousand of his Hunters. You owe our clan a great debt. Leaving us alone is the least you can do."

"You are a vengeful, spiteful bitch, Evony! How do we know you won't attack us?"

Jadis, Aspera and Shyla stepped forward to stand next to Evony, "She has taken her vows and completed her training. You all know that those vows are sacred to our kind. To break her vows would mean death for Evony. To break her Clan Blood Oath not to kill unless attacked would also mean her death. Why would you think she would attack you?"

"She could be wearing a wig and make up! How do we know that she is truly a White Witch? If she's not, she has no vow to keep!" Another Elder asked.

"If you wish a demonstration of her power, we would be happy to show you." Jadis suggested.

"You are forbidden to use your powers on Light and Dark Fae lands and you know that!"

Bo spoke, "The Dal Riata is on neutral ground and is owned by my Grandfather, Fitzpatrick McCorrigan. Use of our powers here is not a violation of that rule... and, by the way, that rule no longer exists according to the document you just signed. We wouldn't want to be unable to defend ourselves if we happen to be on your land... especially since the land where my clan is living is, technically, Fae-owned land since I am a McCorrigan and am part Fae."

"What are you?" Another Elder asked.

Bo laughed, "Well now, I may be new to the Fae, but one of the first lessons I learned was that it is impolite to ask that question, so I'll just pretend you didn't just attend my delicate sensitivities."

Lauren choked back a laugh at her wife's comment before Evony spoke,

"So, demo or no demo? We really do have other things to do with our time today. We certainly didn't plan on spending all day with you. There are those in need."

One of the Elder's laughed, "We all know that White Witches lose their power the longer they stay on our land. You must refuel, so maybe keeping you here is the perfect idea."

Bo's eyes flashed blue and in an instant, she was sucking the chi from every Elder in the room. When she stopped, they all gasped for air,

"I, however, could drop all of you in an instant. So, I think we should go back to Evony's original question. Demo, anyone?"

Elder Marzetti stood, waving her arms, "Please, everyone! This discussion is a mute point. We have all signed the new scroll into law. If we attack now, we die... all of our people die. Let us accept our new reality. Elder Scalese and I have been chosen to represent our interests, so the only question that need be answered at this point is if you trust us to do this or not?"

The older woman allowed her intense gaze to roam over the room, waiting and watching as each of the Elders nodded, stood and left the bar. When only she and Elder Scalese remained, she spoke,

"Now, Evony I can see the clan markings on your forearm so no demonstration will be necessary. Most of you are well aware of how set in their ways the Fae Elders can be. You also know that Elder Scalese and I may be of different sides, but we are not the type to get involved with the dramatics of the Fae. I, for one, see no harm in the forming of this clan. Honestly, all that has changed is that everyone the Dark and Light had seen as different or unacceptable and banished to survive on their own will now be living together. What's the difference if you're together or apart? You've given us all we need to be safe from you."

She ran her fingers over the scroll before picking it up and handing it to Lauren, "I trust you will keep this safe as you have the formula you used to turn Evony into a Human?"

Lauren nodded, "You have my Blood Oath that I will do everything in my power to keep this scroll safe."

"Elder Scalese, do you have anything you would like to add?"

The Elder replied, "I do not. I think you have said all that need be said. Evony knows the Dark Elders well. They'll grumble about this today and tonight, they'll grumble about it at the next several meetings and then it will be over and done with. As your leader here said so eloquently – and I take it you, Ysabeau, are the leader – we will live each to their own."

Lauren nodded, "That means you also have to police your own. They need to know about this new agreement and no the consequences. We have many children in our clan and will defend them if attacked. There will be no warning if people come onto our lands and challenge us in any way."

The two elders nodded as Lauren continued, "Now, one more thing. The town surrounding McCorrigan lands, we wish that land inclusive of the land extending to the highways to be declared our lands. We want a distinctive and large barrier around our properties so there is no question as to when someone has entered our lands."

Lauren rolled out a map, placing stones along the boundaries her clan had discussed, "Would this be acceptable to your clans?"

The two Elders looked down on the map and began pointing and whispering back and forth for a long while before the Dark Elder looked up at Lauren,

"Much of the land you wish to claim for your clan is currently neutral territory. There are some UnderFae who may dwell there who have been granted their freedom, but it's okay with us. You would have to contact them directly as to their wishes to remain free or join your clan."

"We can certainly do that." Lauren replied.

"Fine. I'll have a list of names and locations sent to you at the McCorrigan Mansion by Human courier."

"Perfect." Lauren replied.

"Well, I think we're done here then, yes?" The Light Fae Elder suggested.

"Elder Marzetti, thank you for your support."

"You didn't give us much of a choice, dear."

Bo smiled, "But we did give you a choice."

Both Elders laughed, before Elder Scalese added, "That you did. Well played, ladies."

They stood, each extending a hand in good faith, but Lauren took Bo's hand instead, "I'm afraid my wife's statement that trust must be earned was quite true. For now, let's just smile and go our separate ways."

Laughing again, the two took their leave. Bo turned to look at her wife, "You wouldn't let me shake their hands? They were pretty cool about everything."

Evony smiled, "Remember that you may be our fearless leader now, but you're still a rookie in the Fae world. Those two Fae can attack through their touch. Remember that before she was your wife, Lauren was a Doctor for both the Light and Dark Fae. She has seen most of us as patients at one time or another and is your encyclopedia of who can do what. Always follow her lead."

Bo cocked her head, "Do you really think they would have attacked me in this room with all of my powerful allies around?"

Lauren shrugged, "I wasn't taking any chances."

"Okay then, death by touch. Good to know. Thanks." Bo nodded to Evony and then her wife.

"Who said their touch would cause your death?" Evony replied with a smirk before walking away, "Ta, darlings. Time to go feed."

"But you said..." Bo began, but Evony shimmered away before she could even get her question out. The Succubus groaned in frustration, "Now that is the old Evony I know and love." She said, sarcastically.

Jadis smiled, "She's a work in progress. The more she's around her sisters, the more she will change. The more she's around the Fae, the more she'll retain some of her less desirable qualities."

"Well, take her to your lands and keep her there for at least a year. We need to get all of the Fae out of that one. She's a real piece of work." Bo spat.

Lauren kissed her wife's hand, "Well, are we ready to go?"

Jadis handed Lauren the scroll, "Don't forget this."

Nodding, she smiled, "I was actually thinking the best place for this would be on your lands. Would you agree?"

"You are likely correct. We will put it in the place of our sacred texts just in case you need access to it."

Bo laughed, "Wow, Wifey. You have high security access, huh?"

"I'm very special." Lauren laughed.

"Well, let's take your very special self home. I'm starving." Bo said.

"I'm really in the mood for Lulu's stew." Lauren replied.

"We'll see if we can convince her to cook tonight. Let's go home and celebrate." Bo smiled.

And just like that, they disappeared.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 _ **Seven Months Later...**_

"Moms, are you guys ready? Everyone is waiting!" Lulu yelled into the window of the cabin where she and Seera were waiting with torches in hand.

"Coming!" Bo yelled back before turning to where Lauren was wrapping up their baby girl in the blanket given to them by Deeana for the ceremony.

Standing with the baby, Lauren sighed, "This is the last one, right?"

Bo smiled, "You know we still have our clan's ceremony to do."

"I know, it's just that she cried all the way through the White Witch ceremony earlier today. I hope she doesn't cry through this Amazon ritual too. What are we doing for our Clan BoLo ritual anyway?"

Bo cringed, "We really have to decide on a name for our clan before that sticks. I still can't believe Kenzi suggested it."

"She was half joking."

"Yea, but it's still being used." Bo scowled.

"What is the ritual for our clan?" Lauren asked.

"Trick and Aoife were meeting with the Elders to decide, but I told him I didn't want it to be long and drawn out. No parent wants that with a newborn. Quick and easy... and no bleeding... is what we need." Bo replied.

Lauren nodded, "I just don't want children to be bound by the blood oath of our clan before they can understand how to use their powers. That is why kids don't choose a clan with the Light and Dark before they hit puberty."

Bo agreed, "I'm all in with that idea and already told Trick, reminding him that I killed way too many people before I had any idea how to control my powers. Hell, I was still killing until I met you."

"I do believe your situation was unique."

"Boy, was it ever. All set?" Bo asked, running her hand over her daughters' fine blonde hair.

"All set."

"So we're agreed on the name?" Bo asked.

Lauren nodded with a smile, "Lulu is the expert at assigning names. I just can't bring myself to disappoint her."

Bo smiled, "Names to plants, yes but to people, I think she still needs a bit of work. How did she come up with some of those names?"

Lauren laughed, putting the baby up over her shoulder, "She was talking to your Valkyrie sisters. They fed her all sorts of strange names."

"Okay, let's get going. The sooner we get there..."

"... the sooner we're done."

The new Moms joined hands and shimmered outside to where Lulu and Seera were waiting. The couple immediately stopped and smiled when they saw Lulu with the papoose strapped to her body,

"Lulu..."

"Please? I'll walk really careful. I would never let anything happen to my little sister! Besides, the path is lit with torches the entire way there." Lulu frowned.

"I'll walk next to her and lock elbows to make sure she doesn't fall. Please can we take her?" Seera begged.

Bo and Lauren looked at each other before the brunette reasoned,

"She's not going to get any lighter than she is now. It's probably the easiest time for them to carry her. Besides, Lulu can hover. She doesn't even have to walk if you're worried about her tripping in the woods."

Lulu's eyes went wide, "I can shimmer her there!"

Seera shook her head, "She has to take the path, remember?"

"Right." Lulu frowned before looking up at her Moms, "But please?"

Lauren smiled, kneeling down in front of her daughter, "Okay. Here, let me help you get her in."

Bo took both of the torches from the girls, then watched as her eldest daughter's face absolutely lit up with joy when the baby was finally settled into her arms. Seera was equally excited, placing kisses on the baby's little cheeks as she spoke,

"You're gonna become my sister today too!"

Lulu and Seera started down the path lined with hundreds and hundreds of multicolored flowers laid out by the Amazon tribe while Bo and Lauren followed closely behind. As they walked, the Moms listened and laughed to the conversation of the two excited little girls until finally, they made it to the clearing amidst the trees where a large fire was built for the ceremony. All of the Amazons were gathered, their bodies painted as they danced around the fire in celebration of the occasion.

Selia and Deeana greeted the younger girls, taking the baby to place her in the basket filled with hay.

Bo beamed, "She's such a good baby, Lauren. Look at her smile."

"She always seems to at home with Selia and Deeana. It's like she senses they'll always protect her."

"They will." Bo said with such certainty, Lauren teared up a bit.

"For as much as I hate all of these ceremonies, I also appreciate that our kids won't grow up the way we did. They'll grow up knowing that they belong and are loved by this huge family they've been lucky enough to be born into."

"I guess all of our struggles were worth it in the end, huh?" Bo said, wrapping an arm around Lauren's waist.

Lauren kissed her cheek, "We started out with each other and ended up with three extended families. I'd say it was totally worth it."

They watched as the ceremony began. Deeana lifted the baby into the air and, in a powerful voice declared,

"Tonight, under the full moon, we welcome our sister, born from the blood of Lauren and Ysabeau Lewis. What name do you give to our sister?"

Bo and Lauren nodded to Lulu who jumped up and down clapping before she and Seera both yelled,

"Lucy!" before Lulu clarified, "She's Lucy Sabrina Lewis!"

The women all laughed at the excited little girls before Deeana held her up once again,

"Sisters! I give you the newest member of our tribe, Lucy Sabrina Lewis!"

Everyone cheered, most getting a bit emotional at the news that the newest member of the tribe had been named for Selia's second in command. Selia and Bo shared a teary-eyed glance before they both turned back to Deeana,

"Lulubelle, are you to speak for Lucy until she can speak for herself?"

"I will." She said, fumbling nervously with her fingers.

"You will teach her the ways of the Amazon?"

"I will." She said, nodding her head.

"Will you lead and guide her decisions and actions?"

"I will." She said, now shuffling her feet.

"And who will be your second?"

Seera stepped forward, "I will."

Selia smiled proudly at her daughter as her wife continued, "And do you promise to act as Lulubelle in her stead?"

Seera looked confused for a moment, so Lauren leaned down and whispered in her ear, "She wants to know if you'll keep the promises Lulu just made if she's not around. Will you be a big sister to Lucy."

"Oh, yes! I mean... I will." She looked at Lulu and they giggled.

Deeana looked up at Bo and Lauren, "And do you, the parents of Lucy Sabrina Lewis, vow to raise her in the way of the Amazons, with understanding given to other blood she may carry."

"We do." Bo and Lauren said in unison.

Deeana and Selia then pulled Lucy from the blanket and laid her in the hay. Bo and Lauren watched nervously, hoping that she was not going to be cut as they had been. They sighed with relief when they saw three bowls placed on the table next to their newborn,

"We bring you into our sisterhood to join us in our natural habitat with earth..."

They held out the bowl for Lulu to take a fist full of soil, which she did.

"Sorry, Lucy. I'll give you a bath later." Lulu whispered as she sprinkled the dirt on her belly. Lucy responded by giggling. Lulu looked up at Lauren and Bo, "She likes it."

Selia held out a bowl to Seera to take a scoop of water. Deeana pointed to her head, reminding her daughter that the water needed to be poured over her brow. Seera did as instructed while Lulu held a hand over Lucy's eyes.

Finally, a match was struck. Bo and Lauren's eyes went wide until they saw Deeana pull some hay from beneath the baby and light it on fire before waving it back and forth over Lucy, then dousing it in the bowl of water. Selia took the dirt from the baby's belly and dipped it into the bowl, mixing it around before lifting a small amount of mud onto two fingers and drawing a symbol on the baby's forehead, chest and belly. She then lifted the baby into the air, presenting her to the tribe,

"The Goddess Artemis has gifted us with another Sister! Extra blessings are bestowed as she joins us beneath the full moon. Sisters, let us celebrate this new life with song and dance!"

All of the women cheered, the drums began as the tribe stood to dance. Bo and Lauren were handed Lucy as they nodded to Lulu and Seera to go and join their sisters. Selia and Deeana moved to stand next to their friends,

"Whatever happens going forward, please know dear friends that you will always have a family who will be there to live, laugh and love moments just like this with you."

Lauren turned to the pair, "Thank you. Thank both of you. I've heard so many stories of the many times you saved Bo's life or helped her to keep living when she was too tired to fight. I know that I owe you both so much for making my dream of a life with this woman come true, so for now I will just say again, thank you."

Deeana smiled, "Lauren, you never have to thank us. When we found Bo in the woods, struggling to survive with a child, we knew she had an Amazon's soul. She was a fighter from the start. We fell in love with her and Lulu right from the start. We wanted so much for her to get her happy ending and you gave that to her for us. If anything, we should be thanking you for saving our friend and bringing yourself and another beautiful soul into our tribe."

The women all hugged before Lucy interrupted them with a little scream. They looked down to see her waving her tiny arms and smiling brightly,

"I guess she's just as happy about it as you are." Lauren smiled.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

Bo checked on Lucy in the bassinette on the other side of their bedroom before sliding into bed next to Lauren. She smiled knowing that her wife had fallen asleep quickly after the ceremony. It had been a very long, busy couple of weeks since the birth of their daughter. Bo had been worried about the load that her wife was carrying and she really just wanted a few days for Lauren to finally relax... and maybe sleep in.

Motherhood had hit Lauren squarely between the eyes, but she had managed everything with poise. Bo knew all too well that not complaining didn't mean that it wasn't hard on her wife. While she was off handling additional meetings about the clan, Lauren was handling both Lulu and Lucy. Most of the time, Seera and Kara were with them as well since all three of them absolutely adored the baby. While it may have seemed to everyone else that having the girls around meant Lauren had help, they were still a bit too young to leave alone holding an infant.

Still, Lauren had found time to get Lulu enrolled in a Human school as the youngster wanted. She told Bo that she wanted the option of going to college just in case she wanted to be a doctor or something important like that. Since there were no Fae medical schools, the Human system was her only choice.

What had hurt Bo was her daughter's comment that she didn't want to be a flunky who never graduated from high school. Of course, Lulu didn't know her Mother's history, so Bo had tried not to be offended it was still hard statement to swallow.

The night of their discussion about school, Lauren had reminded Bo that she used to be very ambitious in high school. In the end, they'd both agreed that it was time for the high school hero to follow her teenage dream of entering a field where she was able to fight for the underdogs of the world, as she'd always wanted. They had also discussed Lauren going back to practice medicine and both had agreed that there were plenty of people – both Human and Fae - in their new clan to warrant opening a clinic in town.

Ciara had begun to teach Lauren about the healing methods she had been taught as a Faery Princess. The techniques were unique and – in Lauren's words – truly amazing. Without skipping a beat, Ciara had agreed to be Lauren's right hand at the new clinic. They would work to restore the sight of the Human health care workers as quickly as possible. They would need their help in healing everyone else.

The biggest issue was how they were going to handle the townspeople. Outing the Fae to a bunch of Humans who may not be willing to stick to the One Rule after what they'd been through was of concern, so Bo and Lauren had gone to meet with the Mayor in town. To their surprise, he had admitted he was well aware that there were supernatural beings in the town since childhood, as did most of the people his age in town. He thought it was all very normal after all of these years and their children had been raised that couldn't be a threat to someone they didn't threaten. Essentially, they had peacefully co-existed – until the night that Bo had left town. So, she formally disclosed the nature of the people and gave him a little history lesson about the missing citizens, her Father, the Hunters and finally, the One Rule. The Mayor needed to understand what would happen if anyone disclosed their existence to anyone outside of town. Further, Lauren explained to him that if the townspeople cooperated, they would all receive a vision fix, in time. Being blinded himself, he quickly agreed.

They were still figuring out the details, but they had formally decided that they were going to install law enforcement officials who were all Fae. That way, if anything unusual went down, they would already have Fae local, state and federal police in town who could cover the tracks of any Fae involvement. Gradually, they would install Human officials among the Fae as their sight was returned. The Fae would eventually handle the Fae cases and the Humans handle the Human cases, overlapping where needed.

Bo and Lauren had already decided who would be running the law enforcement community. Hale had plenty of connections in other Fae communities due to his family connections, so he would head the Federal Agency. Dyson would handle the State police and Tamsin was staying on to handle the Local force since Kate wanted to stay with their new Fae and Amazon friends. Tamsin had protested, but a long conversation with Acacia had given her a new outlook on her life... or maybe it was holding Lucy in her arms for the first time. She wanted a legacy to carry on her line and she wanted that with Kate, so agreed this clan was the right place for them to begin a life together.

Kenzi was going to be around often, so had wanted a job as well. She wanted to put her new powers to use. Bo had explained that they wanted her super Human skills of hacking and her young friend reluctantly agreed, stating that the new gray streak in her hair was too cool to be sequestered to a computer room. Bo had reminded her friend that she no longer looked quite Human and would need to keep a low profile when on the Earthly plane. Her hair would be completely gray soon and her already luminescent blue eyes would be closer to white as well.

Kenzi, Jadis, Sadie, Kate, Tamsin, Selia and Deanna had come for dinner at the new cabin one night. It was Bo's first family dinner and she was very excited about finally having a family that wasn't crazy. At the dinner, Kenzi had briefly mentioned missing her former Goth style, but when Jadis mentioned her newly acquired long life and ability to protect herself in the Fae world, the younger woman had to admit the sacrifice was a worthwhile trade. Still, she swore to Jadis she was going to update the White Witches' wardrobe.

An argument had ensued about tradition and robes being more comfortable to which Bo had replied that leather was surprisingly comfortable once you tried it. Tamsin had made a case for jeans to which Deanna had replied that hemp was the best cloth for making clothing that moved with you when you fought. After an hour-long discussion about everything being naked to dressed in the heavy metal armor of the past, Jadis agreed to keep an open mind about a shopping trip in town with Kenzi... all white cloth, of course... and even maybe some trim for a pop of color... something Kenzi had given a rousing round of applause for when the leader had agreed to consider.

With all that they had accomplished in a very short time, Bo felt good about her life for the first time in - well, since Kyle's death. There was still a lot to be done, but she knew she had help... loyal, dedicated, caring help from her newfound family and friends as well as the town she'd never felt a part of when she was young. While she still occasionally paused during her day to pinch herself, she was moving forward in her new life.

No longer did she have to patrol the woods around her home from the trees from just before sundown until sunrise. No longer did she have to live alone for fear of what hell she would bring down on anyone she allowed to get close. No longer did she have to raise her daughter alone without friends or school. No longer did her daughter have to sit alone in the darkness of a safe room, teaching herself about the history of the Fae and Human worlds. No longer did her child have to take on the responsibilities of an adult, but could instead live the life a child should live. She smiled, heaving a heavy sigh as she leaned into Lauren, draping an arm carefully around her waist before closing her eyes and nodding off to sleep.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

 _ **Twenty Years Later...**_

"Mom! You guys are going to be late again!" Lulu called up the stairway to her parents while she cradled her little brother in her arms.

Lauren called down to her, "We're coming, Lu! And Lottie's on the swing set again! Can you ask Lucy to start the car and get her into her car seat before she gets dirty? And can you get Ethan's diaper bag and put him..."

Shaking her head at her little brother, Lulu yelled up to Lauren, "Mom! You've already asked me all of those things! They're all done, now come on!"

"No, _you_ come on!" Bo laughed as she and Lauren exited the cabin from behind their daughter.

Lulu turned and smiled at her Mother before looking down at the big brown eyes of her youngest sibling, "You know, our Mom is becoming quite the practical joker, shimmering our Ma around, but let's show her who's really boss, shall we?"

Ethan giggled as they disappeared from the cabin.

"Lulu! Come on!" Bo shouted from the driver's seat of the car, before turning to Lauren, "What's taking her so long?"

The pair turned to see Lucy covering her lips with her finger, trying to stop Lottie's giggling, "Shhh..."

Lauren faked a frown, turning to the youngest occupant in the car, "Lottie, what do you know?"

The little girl giggled, so Bo turned as well, "Lottie, what did we tell you about keeping secrets from us?"

Lottie pouted, "Lulu went poof."

Bo rolled her eyes, turning back to face the driveway of their newly renovated cabin, "I hate when she does that."

Lauren laughed, giving Leila's foot a tickle, causing her to wiggle in her car seat, "Bo, do you want me to..."

Bo looked at Lauren and nodded, giving her wife the go ahead as she gripped the steering wheel and cringed before the blonde waved her hand, causing the entire car to vanish from sight.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

When the car reappeared in the school parking lot, Bo closed her eyes, waiting for the wave of nausea to pass. She swayed a bit in her seat before she groaned from the feeling in the pit of her stomach.

"Ma, we told you. You have to..."

Bo nodded, waving her hand at her daughter, "I know, I know. Take a deep breath and exhale when we arrive. It doesn't matter what I do. The White Witch blood I share with your Mom just doesn't want me to like shimmering... at all."

Lucy shook her head and unbuckled Lottie from her car seat before opening the car door and watching her crawl from the vehicle. She took her hand and closed the door, waiting for her parents to pick up her youngest sister, Leila from the infant car seat.

When Lauren lifted the newborn onto her shoulder, she turned back to the car, but found Lulu standing in front of her holding out the diaper bag,

"Looking for the other half?" She smirked.

"For that move, you can carry the diaper bag." Lauren smiled in return, looking at the infant on her eldest daughter's shoulder, "He's asleep?"

Lulu shouldered the bag and nodded, "I swear these two are so much more than mere twins. If she sleeps, he sleeps. If she cries, he cries..."

"...If she poops, he poops." Bo added, taking the diaper bag from her daughter, "And please don't think I didn't notice. Please don't shimmer into parking lots with your siblings. A car..."

"I know, Ma. A car could be coming when I land. I'm a doctor, raised by a doctor. Do you really think I would shimmer into a parking lot? Especially here where there could be Humans who do not know about the Fae who could see us? Of course, you had Mom shimmer an entire car into the parking lot. I'm sure no one saw that."

Lauren smiled, "They didn't. I shielded the car before we left the house."

"Show off." Lulu shook her head, settling Ethan on her shoulder as they began the walk towards the stadium.

"Aw, now don't pout because your Mom can do something you can't do." Bo smiled.

Lulu sighed, "Uh... need I remind you about Mr. Carlisle's brain tumor last week?"

Lauren laughed, "Touché. I am still not big on brain surgery. I prefer curing diseases with serums and vaccines over surgery."

"Your Mom gives great needle." Bo leaned in, whispering to Lulu.

"So have you found a surgery to remove Aunt Tamsin's mood swings from her brain, Sis?" Lucy deadpanned.

Lulu chuckled, "I'm afraid that condition is incurable."

"Since the day she was born." Bo added, "Don't be too hard on her."

Lucy nodded, "I know, I know. The life of a Valkyrie is hard. She's spent many lifetimes carrying dead souls from the fields where senseless wars needlessly snuffed out the lives of people who had families and great experiences ahead of them. Aunt Kate has used that excuse for years."

"And Aunt Kate is right." Lauren replied, pulling a blanket over Lottie's shoulders.

"Then why isn't Aunt Kate grumpy?" Lucy asked.

Bo shook her head, "Aunt Kate took the stick out of her ass and Aunt Tamsin didn't."

"Bo!" Lauren scolded, but Lulu and Lucy were already in the midst of a fit of laughter. She slapped her wife, "You need to stop picking on Tamsin in front of her nieces."

"Maybe Aunt Tamsin needs to start being a little more positive around our kids. Really, Lauren, aren't you a little tired of her gloom and doom attitude? What is up with that?" Bo asked.

Lauren shrugged, "It's not my story to tell, Bo."

"I'm your wife." She replied quickly and obviously a bit offended.

"Bo, it's doctor-patient privilege. If Kate and Tamsin share to discuss the issue with you, then you'll better understand. Until then, just trust me... she has reason to be a bit... gloomy, as you put it."

"Fine." Bo said with a sigh before Ethan did a little fussing in Lulu's arms, "Do you want me to take him?"

Lulu shook her head, "Are you kidding? My vacation is only a week, and then I have to be back at the hospital. I'm holding this little one every chance I get."

"You're home almost every night via the shimmer express." Bo shared a long glance and a laugh with Lauren, both women then turning to look at Lulu holding Ethan.

As it always did these days, Bo's mind traveled to when Lulu was just a child and she would hold her as she was holding her infant son now. While she was grateful The Hunters were gone, she missed when Lulu was that young.

After medical school, their eldest daughter had been offered and taken a job as a Neurosurgeon in Boston, but she wanted to be in a climate that was colder all year round. All of her years visiting the Land of Light had helped her to become accustomed to living in colder climates, so she had moved even further north to Alaska where she now worked primarily in Anchorage, but also traveled to the smaller villages along the coast. Living there gave her easy access to the Aurora. She and her Pegasus, Cassiopeia, could travel to the Land of Light any time she had an hour off in this realm. It would give her a little over a week in the realm where she went to feed her White Witch spirit.

"Yea, but I don't sleep overnight, so I miss cuddle and tuck in time. I need to bond with my little brother or he'll never know me." Lulu insisted, looking at Lauren, "And we'll have to trade at some point because little Leila needs me too."

Lauren grinned, "You may be a thirty-something now, but you're as adorable as you were when you were ten."

"And I'm still doing a fantastic job naming the babies." She smiled, but Lottie protested,

"Hey! I named the belly baby!" She said, earning laughs from her big sisters.

Lauren placed a hand on her growing abdomen and smiled at Charlotte, "Yes, you did and you did a great job, sweetie."

Lulu smiled, "You did do good, kid. Lizzie Kathryn Lewis is a strong name."

Lottie nodded, "Well, Kate is a strong Valkyrie and your Pegasus came from her and Mom's Pegasus-ses, so I figured with all of that strong-ness, it would be a good name. And it's an L name!"

Bo chuckled, "Heaven forbid we should have a girl who doesn't have an L name."

Lucy smiled, "We already tried to find Y names, Ma but you shot them all down."

"Catch up, kids. Your Mom's name is Lauren with an L. Your Ma will always want L kids." Tamsin said, crossing her arms over her chest when she saw the group arrive at the gate, "I was told to come and show you to the seats daughter number three reserved for your big old family."

Bo shook her head, "Well, it was nice of you to serve as such a pleasant welcome wagon and in case you didn't notice, Lottie's actual name is Charlotte... that's a C and our son is named Ethan... that's an E."

"Really Succubitch? That's your comeback?"

Lulu shook her head, "Ma, we all know the story. Mom had picked those names for her babies when you guys were kids in the tree house. You've just given Aunt Tamsin's argument more ammunition about how whipped you are. You would move the Moon for Mom if you could."

Bo smiled, as she took her seat next to Lauren. She turned to look at her older daughters seated behind them, "You know what? You're right. And I hope that one day you all find someone you can love as much as I love your Mom. You'll be lucky if you do."

Lauren blushed at her wife's words and gave her a shy smile. It was amazing after all of these years together that she still looked at her like she was the most precious thing on the planet. Lauren knew that after all they had been through, she had made the right choice to stand by her Izzy. They would grow old together, raising their kids and then enjoy the grandchildren as they were born.

The graduates began to move in and the stadium erupted in applause, waking both babies. Lulu immediately passed Ethan down to Bo who turned him to face his twin sister. The two babies looked at each other and smiled, settling down almost immediately. Lulu laughed,

"I told you... more than the usual twins. They're connected somehow."

Lauren smiled, "I'll leave it to you to figure out then."

Lulu shook her head, "Uh-uh, you're the Geneticist."

"And you need to learn so that you can take care of the Fae in your territories." Lauren replied.

Lulu shrugged, "I think our system works fine. You shimmer to me when I need you, I shimmer to you when I need you."

Bo shook her head, "And when your Mom retires from medicine?"

Lulu gave the comment a scowl, "Yea, right. Mom won't retire until she's like two thousand years old."

"THERE SHE IS! THERE'S LEXI! LEXI! LEXI!" Lucy stood with Lottie on her shoulders, yelling to their sister while the younger Lewis waved her arms wildly, hoping her older sister would see them.

When Lexi looked up, she waved both of her arms at the group, "She saw us, Ma! Did you see? Mom, she saw us!"

Lauren smiled up at her daughter, "I saw, Lottie. Now, would you please get off of Lucy's shoulders... carefully? We don't need another Lewis Family injury today."

"But you can heal me right up, Mom." Lottie said, matter-of-factly.

Bo and Lauren's heads spun quickly to glare at the youngster as Lucy covered her mouth and leaned in to whisper, "Lottie, there are Humans all around us, kiddo. No Fae talk here, remember?"

Lottie lowered her head, her shoulders slumping as her big brown eyes welled with tears. She looked at her parents,

"Sorry. I was forgot."

Bo handed Ethan to Lulu who was already sensing her Mother's move before allowing Lottie to climb onto her lap,

"It's okay, sweetie. Don't cry. It's just really important that you learn..."

"I know, Ma. I know. The..." She leaned in to whisper in her Ma's ear, "The Fae could have me killed if I tell people about the Fae. I just forget sometimes."

Bo held her close, "I will never let the Fae harm you, Lottie and you are surrounded by very powerful Fae, Amazons and Witches who would help me to do whatever was needed to fix it if you let it slip. We'd just rather not have you need our help, Lottie. You've got to learn to control the impulse to blurt things out without thinking, okay?"

Lottie sniffled while Bo wiped her cheeks, "All better?" Bo asked.

The youngster didn't respond, but rather settled into Bo's arms, gripping her tighter. Bo knew this reaction was when Lottie felt fear about the Fae. She had witnessed an attack on the Fae that lived in the McCorrigan Mansion about a year ago when she'd been there visiting with Ciara and Dyson's youngest daughter. She'd been witness to the brutal killing of one of the members of the cleaning service that visited once a week and had never recovered from the gory scene. Lulu had shimmered in when she sensed the intense fear from her youngest sister at the time and immediately took out the entire group of intruders with the wave of a hand.

Lulu had grown into an incredibly powerful being. The combination of her Mother and Father's DNA had proven to result in powers that Bo was certain her Father had been seeking to control when he'd attempted to come to the Earthly plane over two decades ago. She thanked whatever God was listening at the time that she had been able to save her daughter from his grasp.

"Bo, here it comes." Lauren said nervously.

"Relax, she'll do fine." Bo assured, taking Lauren's hand as mumbles went through the family, fingers pointing eagerly at Lexi.

Lauren shuddered, "Here she goes."

' _Faculty, Staff, Students and Honored Guests, it is my honor to stand before you today as your class Valedictorian. I can only hope that my remarks measure up to those who've come before me and that you don't fall asleep before I finish...'_

"Good girl!" Bo said, throwing a small victory fist. Lauren turned to look at her wife, "What? It's a joke I gave her. It's good."

Lauren just shook head and turned back to her daughter. She was so proud of the young woman her Lexi had become. Here she was, graduating early from Law School. The only thing left was to take the Bar Exam, and then she would be coming home to live in town with her boyfriend... a Human named Tommy Roberts who she had fallen in love with during her Undergraduate years in college. She'd told Bo and Lauren that she had plenty of time to travel and see the world or even work at a big law firm after Tommy died. For now, she wanted to enjoy the very Human lifespan he had left.

Lauren glanced over her shoulder at Lucy and smiled at the intense look on her face as she listened carefully to the speech she had helped her younger sister rehearse over and over again. The two of them were Bo through and through and Lauren wouldn't have it any other way. They were fighters who righted the wrongs of the town, Lucy as a Social Worker and Lexi now as a lawyer. When they got together with Dyson and Tamsin, it was all about their cases.

Lucy had fallen in love and married an Amazon named Hipp whose name meant Horse, something Lucy loved to tease her about. Apparently, from the time she could open her eyes, she was mesmerized by the horses in the stables and would giggle and coo whenever she was taken into the barn. Once she could crawl, she would constantly venture off unbeknownst to her parents who would eventually find her lying a stall with whatever horse happened to be home. She and Lucy rode every chance they got, but Hipp was a teacher at the local college so they both had their hands full with needy children. It was disappointing that there was a need for a Social Worker in town, but the trauma dealt the adults many years ago was bound to have some backlash on the mental health of the Humans in the town.

Lauren's gaze moved from Lucy to young Charlotte who was almost asleep in Bo's arms. Her blonde hair had been quite a surprise after the long line of brunette's she'd given birth to. This was her little girl, so it was only fitting that she had been given a C name. Of course, Lulu and Lucy were quick to mention that she would actually be called Lottie so she didn't feel like an outcast. She didn't know who this little girl would grow up to be, but she did know that she had fantastic sibling role models and many, many strong women who would guide her along her life's path.

Bo nudged her wife, "Are you paying attention?"

Lauren smiled, "Sorry. I got a little lost in my thoughts."

"She'll never forgive you if you miss this." Bo suggested.

Lauren chuckled, "Are you kidding me? I have it memorized from listening to her rehearse it with Lucy."

The couple turned and listened to their daughter. As she finished, the crowd got to its feet, the thunderous applause and whistles echoing into the clouds above the stadium. Bo and Lauren leaned in to each other, their hearts swelling with pride as they heard their other daughters cheering for their sisters.

Lauren looked over her shoulder to see the young women they had raised and smiled as Bo leaned over and whispered in her ear,

"We done good, Doc."

Lauren laughed, nodding to the two infants in their arms, "We're not done yet."

Bo smiled, "Does that mean you want more?"

Lauren shrugged, "I will cherish whatever you give me, Izzy."

"Well, I'll have to remember that." Bo smiled, turning back to her daughter who was looking up at her family and waving, "Gods, I love our family."

"Me too, Izzy. Me too." Lauren replied.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

The whole group met in the parking lot after the ceremony and was joined rather quickly by Lexi who was anxious to get back to their lands and start the celebration. After much discussion, the Witches in the group put up shields and shimmered everyone back home. When they arrived, a large cake made by her sisters was Lexi's big surprise. Lottie was quick to explain that she had been the one to put the candy hearts all over the cake.

There was tons of food, courtesy of Aunt Kenzi, Aunt Jadis and Aunt Sadie. The wine and beer flowed endlessly thanks to Grandpa Trick. The Amazons had created a massive feast and provided the music for much dance and merriment. Everything was perfect in Lexi's mind, right down to Tommy's proposal of marriage that took everyone by surprise at the end of the evening... everyone except Bo, that is. The young man, ever the gentleman, had asked Bo for her permission to marry her daughter. She had decided not to tell Lauren, but allow her the pleasure of the surprise. Lauren had expressed on many occasions that she had hoped that Tommy was the one for their daughter because she believed they were perfect together. Naturally, the Human lifespan was a bit of a drawback, but they were taking Human vows, so the couple weren't worried about Lexi being alone for the rest of her life. In time, her heart would heal and she would find a companion again.

With the guests now gone, the Lewis family sat around the fire outside of their cabin. Bo and Lauren were holding hands while the kids took turns playing charades. As usual, it was the Lewis sisters versus their Amazon and Fae friends. They laughed and laughed while they played, taking turns holding Ethan and Leila, each enjoying the precious babies when it was their turn to snuggle them to keep them warm outside.

Bo sat back, her head against the chair as she turned towards Lauren, "So, Lulu is off in Alaska living her doctoring dream. Lucy will probably marry Hipp at some point and stay on these lands. Lexi is not going to become Mrs. Tommy Roberts..."

Lauren interrupted, "Don't forget the esquire once she passes the bar."

"Noted." Bo replied, "Charlotte will be home with us for another fifteen years looking out for her baby brother and sister Leila and Ethan."

Lauren rubbed her belly, "And this active little girl will make her appearance in two months as Lizzie Kathryn Lewis. Who knows what she will bring."

"More adventures, no doubt." Bo smiled.

"Moms?"

Bo and Lauren turned to look up at Lulu who was looking down at them, "Why don't you guys go inside and... you know... have some... alone time. You're looking a bit... pale, Ma."

Bo chuckled, "Do you know what it's like to try to get a full feeding session in with Lottie and the twins?"

Lulu scowled, "You promised me you would take care of yourselves. You know the importance of feeding and..."

Bo looked at Lauren, "Is our eldest daughter lecturing us on the importance of feeding properly when we had to literally throw her onto the back of Cassie when she was in High School to get her to go feed?"

"I believe you're forgetting college and medical school."

Lulu crossed her arms over her chest and cocked her hip, "Well, if the shoe fits. This apple didn't fall far from that tree." She said, moving her finger between the pair, "Go. I've got the kids. Seera and Kara are both staying. Lucy, Hipp, Lexi and Tommy are staying too so we've got plenty of help. You know we would never let anything happen to them."

"I know, sweetie. Thank you." Lauren replied, standing up and offering a hand to Bo who just stared at the group.

"Ma. You know you're hungry. I'll be here all week which means this crew will be here all week. Take advantage of it so you can top off your hunger before I leave again."

"Fine."

"Wow. I didn't know sex with Mom had become such a chore for the big bad Succubus."

Bo scowled at her daughter before her expression softened when she saw the look on her wife's face, "Lauren, you know I..."

"She's got a point though, doesn't she? Am I too fat?" Lauren asked, running her hands over her belly.

"Of course not, baby. You know I think you're beautiful when you're pregnant." Bo begged as Lauren started to walk in to the cabin, turning one last time to glare at Lulu who was laughing and waving goodbye.

"Lauren, seriously." Bo said as they entered the house.

"Our daughter just brought up a good point, Bo. Do I not interest you anymore?"

"Seriously? We have six kids and another one on the way. I love you more than I did the day we got married and I think your body is incredibly sexy when you're pregnant. But you already know that, don't you?"

Lauren sighed, "I guess so. I just feel like such a beached whale this time around. I mean, look at my ankles! I'm retaining water! Me! The badass Changeling is retaining water!"

Bo laughed, "You're adorable."

"Do you love me?" Lauren asked.

Bo sat beside her on the couch, "You know, today I was looking up at the stadium and seeing all of our family and friends. Then I looked at you and realized that when we first met, I had lost everything. All I had was Lulu and I was terrified I would lose her too... that I would spend the rest of my life alone. Somehow, you ended up in the forest at the very moment that Lulu ventured out of the house against our rules and you were there to catch a glimpse of her. That set off a chain reaction that unexpectedly reunited us and I've been trying to wrap my head around it every since.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I never believed in fate or luck or destiny before. I just believed that life was what we made it. I believed that I would be the hunted for the rest of my life. But now, my life is more than I dared dream and that's all because of you. I will forever be in your debt for convincing me to trust the Fae and I plan to spend the rest of my life showing you how grateful I am that you exist, Lauren Lewis."

"And I will always be grateful that you trusted me that day in my lab and continued to trust me even after the Fae had taken me and my daughter. You and our family are so precious to me, Izzy. I thought I would be a slave to the Fae for the rest of my life, but you freed me and gave me all of this."

Bo laughed, "A small cabin in the woods that can barely fit our entire family?"

Lauren laughed, "Well, as we've seen, kids grow up and build houses of their own, but they'll always consider this home."

"Do you think so?" Bo asked.

"They're all here, aren't' they?" Lauren replied.

Bo smiled, "They are... and as long as they're out there and we're in here, what do you say we play a game of charades of our own."

Lauren gave her wife a devilish grin before standing up and placing one finger on her wrist.

"One word."

Lauren smiled before pulling her shirt up and over her head, then pulling down her pants. She was left in her bra and panties, her hand moving up and down over her belly before dipping down between her legs.

"Sex."

The blonde grinned and ran for the stairway with Bo in hot pursuit. Once at the top of the stairs, the brunette paused for a moment. Looking down at the cabin from the overlook of the loft, she smiled at how it had changed, yet still remained the same. She listened to the laughter coming from outside the front door... the laughs of children she never thought she would have after Lulu and she felt grateful and blessed... very blessed.

"Izzy! Are you coming?"

The brunette's eyes flashed blue as she grinned, "You first, Lolo."

She ran down the short hallway and into their bedroom, slamming the door on her past and looking forward to every single day of her future with Lauren and their family. No longer was she hunted. Now, she could live in peace and take each day as it came.

 **\- THE END -**

 _Thank you so much for reading and supporting my writing. It means more than I can ever express._

 _Best wishes,_

 _Cuddles xo_


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